


Fire and Ice

by ReginaPendragon



Series: Fire and Ice universe [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Skating, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-05-28 01:32:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 77,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6309013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaPendragon/pseuds/ReginaPendragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Can old rivals become new partners?<br/>In the aftermath of a serious injury, Regina Mills’s dream of going to the Olympics is dashed when her partner leaves her to skate with another girl. Alone and unsure of her future in the sport, Regina resigns herself to finding a new partner. Enter Robin Locksley: talented, handsome, and Regina’s former rival from the junior skating circuit. They meet. They clash. Their coaches think they’re the perfect match. Can these former competitors put aside their differences for a second chance at Olympic glory?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Ice Queen

Ever since her injury, the weight room at the rink had become Regina’s favourite place to think.

Early afternoon was the best time to go. If you went too early, the kids from the morning session were still hogging the equipment. If you went too late, the hockey guys would push their way in and start sweating all over everything. But despite its modest size, the weight room at the rink was vastly preferable to the meathead infested co-ed gym down the street. Regina didn’t have time to wait for the best machines or fight over the free weights. Not when the Olympics were less than three years away.

After completing her reps at the bench press, Regina replaced the weighted bar with an unladylike grunt that would have made her late mother grimace in disapproval. She’d just increased her weight limit two days ago and it was still a struggle. But it had been easier today than it was yesterday. She was getting stronger, slowly but surely.

Mulan, the skating club’s physiotherapist, gave Regina a hand up. “That was incredible!” Mulan gushed. Mulan rarely gushed so Regina knew she was impressed. “You’re getting so strong. No one would ever guess you were injured.”

“My doctor says I’m a medical miracle,” Regina responded as she towelled off her sweaty brow. “Most people don’t come back from an injury like mine. She even went as far as to say I healed myself on sheer willpower alone.”

Mulan was inclined to agree. “You’ve got everything you need to get back into competition.”

Regina rolled her eyes and took a draft from her water bottle. “Everything but a partner, you mean.”

Mulan’s face fell. “What happened to your tryout with Graham? I thought it went well.”

Regina sighed heavily. “It was a disaster. He could barely get through one repetition of the pattern dance.” I’m not going to make it to the Olympics with a partner like that, she added to herself. I need someone with actual skating skills. Someone who’s on my level.

But finding someone on your level can be a difficult task for a female skater. Girls who want to go into pairs or ice dance are a dime a dozen, but boys… boys were a rarity in the sport. Getting the perfect partner was like chasing a unicorn. If you were lucky enough to find one, it was in your best interest to hold onto him. A male skater can find a new partner in a flash. Girls flock to them if one ever becomes available. But for someone like Regina – an elite level skater coming back from an injury – her options were dwindling by the second.

She’d taken a chance trying out with Graham. He was two years younger than her and a tier below her in the national rankings. In an act of desperation, she’d even tried out with David Nolan – a pairs skater who was thinking of switching to ice dance. That hadn’t panned out either, but there had been a silver lining. Regina’s housemate, Mary Margaret, was a pairs skater and Regina took it upon herself to arrange a tryout between Mary Margaret and David instead. 

All those failed tryouts had led her to this: hiding out in the weight room and ruminating about her future while her rinkmates and friends looked on with sympathy but without the ability to help. She needed the distraction to keep from refreshing her profile on IcePartnerSearch every five minutes. 

Speaking of which…

Mulan was trying to show Regina something on her tablet. “Did you see this? Robin Locksley just updated his profile. It says he’s willing to relocate now. His home federation must have finally released him.”

“Ugh, not Robin Locksley.” Regina shook her head vehemently. “I’m pretty sure he still hates me for beating him and his ex-partner at the Junior World Championships back in 2011.”

Mulan narrowed her eyes – she always did that when she was thinking, Regina noticed. “Oh come on, he’s a sweetie. I met him when I studying in the UK and he was not the type to hold a grudge.”

Poor Mulan. She may have dedicated her life to working with skaters on their off-ice fitness, but she didn’t have a clue how the skating world really worked. Only the athletes and coaches had all the insider details on the intense rivalries and politics of the sport. Daniel hadn’t understood. He’d never been comfortable seeing his girlfriend be held and lifted by another man. Even Regina’s own father, a recreational adult skater, didn’t understand. Regina didn’t have the heart to remind Mulan that she and her former partner had skated circles around Robin and his former partner at the ’11 Junior Worlds. It had been an upset that the skating community would gossip about for months afterward. Robin and Marian had won every event of the season leading up to Junior Worlds, only to be outskated by Regina and Jefferson in the free dance.

Their paths had diverged drastically since then. Regina and Jefferson skated together for three perfect seasons before she got injured in the fall of 2014. Robin’s career had taken a turn for the worse: after one successful season at the senior level, he and his partner Marian were overtaken by a younger team in their own country and displaced from the standings. Their partnership dissolved after that and Marian chose to retire from competition. Robin skated with another girl for a few seasons but they didn’t achieve the same level of success that he’d had before. That partnership ended too, only a few months after Jefferson and Regina’s did.

Junior Worlds had been the catalyst for the decline in Robin’s skating career. There wasn’t a chance in hell he’d stoop so low as to tryout with Regina now. Surely the man had too much pride for that.

“I don’t mean to sound harsh,” Mulan spoke up, rousing Regina from her thoughts. “But there are not a lot of options out there for a skater at your level.”

“Do you think I don’t know that?” Regina’s words came out more harshly than she’d intended them to and Mulan winced. “I just don’t see the point of trying out with someone who probably hates me.”

But Mulan had a shrewd look in her eye. “I don’t think he hates you. And maybe… maybe he needs you as much as you need him.”

****

 

“Any takers, mate?” 

Robin Locksley looked up from his laptop to see his teammate Will Scarlet had taken the chair at the opposite side of the table. “It’s barely been 24 hours since I updated my profile, Will. Good things come to those who wait.”

Will drummed his fingertips against the edge of the table and hummed thoughtfully. “I still can’t help but feel like this is mostly my fault. If Ana and I had finished higher at last year’s World Championships, we both could have gone this year.”

Robin was quick to reassure his friend. “It’s not your fault, Will. The British Federation doesn’t have the funds for keep supporting two teams anyway. This isn’t 1984 when Team GB had the best ice dance team in the world. The days of Torvill and Dean are long over. We don’t have the same influence in the sport that we used to have.”

“But still. To go all the way to North America to find a partner…” Will trailed off, looking distressed.

“In this sport, you have to go where the partners are. North America is the ice dance capital of the world now. I have dual citizenship. It makes sense to broaden my search parameters.”

That was the line he’d been telling himself ever since the British Federation had agreed to release him. It had been a hard year, not being able to compete. After his second partnership fell through, Robin had been left adrift to fend for himself. He’d picked up work coaching younger kids, which had been a trying but ultimately fun experience. But it didn’t compare to the thrill of competition. And if he couldn’t find a partner in England…

“There’s definitely some fine American and Canadian ladies to choose from,” Will remarked as he clicked through a few profiles on IcePartnerSearch. “This Merida girl is cute. And she’s from Scotland! You wouldn’t even need to relocate.” He turned the laptop around to give Robin a closer look.

“I can’t just pick a new partner based on looks. And besides, she’s barely three inches shorter than me. That was the problem with me and Marian. Not enough height difference.”

Will furled his brown and got back to work. “What about Belle French? She’s very petite. And also very cute.”

Robin shook his head. “Too petite. There’s not enough height difference and then there’s too much height difference.”

“Point taken.” Will clicked his way through a few more profiles and made a little gasping noise. “No way. I can’t believe she’s on here!”

“Who?”

“The Ice Queen – Regina Mills!”

Robin practically shoved Will out of his chair to get a better look at the computer screen. “How remarkable. I thought she was still injured.”

“She’d fulfil your height requirement too. Shorter than Merida, taller than Belle,” Will pointed out. “I know you had your differences when you were both juniors, but that was ages ago! You should call her up. Arrange a tryout.”

Robin sighed and looked at the picture on the screen again. She was wearing her hair a little shorter now, but Regina had barely aged in the four years since he’d competed against her. “I never understood why they called her the Ice Queen. She was always the fiery audacious type. That free dance she and Jefferson did to Carmen nearly melted the ice.”

“Maybe you could use a little of that fire in your life,” Will said with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

Robin looked at her picture again, transfixed by the knowing slope of Regina’s smile and the glint in her eyes. He could certainly think of worse things than being partnered with her. Perhaps it was worth a shot.

“I’ll see if our coaches can arrange a tryout,” he decided. “Maybe nothing will come of it but I’m going to be in the States next month for that training seminar anyway. Could be the perfect timing.”

“That’s the spirit!” Will clapped him on the back. “I have a good feeling about this one.”

Robin snuck one last glance at the picture and couldn’t help thinking the same thing.


	2. The Tryout

She was stunning.

It was free ice time at Regina’s skating club and the ice surface was full of students of all ages and disciplines. Pairs teams were practicing their lifts, singles skaters were training their jumps and the ice dancers were working on learning next season’s pattern dance. No one seemed to care that it was the off-season. Summer competitions and exhibition ice shows were coming up and all the skaters were ultimately chasing the same dream: a coveted spot on the Olympic team.

Robin was watching from the sidelines as Regina executed a series of sequential twizzles – travelling spins where the skater had to spin one way on one foot while holding a specific position before changing their pose and spinning the opposite way on the other foot. It was unusual to see a girl doing twizzles on her own, but Regina wasn’t letting her lack of partner get in the way of her training.

The rink’s audio system was playing an eclectic mix of music: everything from commonly used skating music to recent pop hits. At the present moment, Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” was the accompaniment for Regina’s twizzle showcase. Robin kept a close eye on her as she weaved her way through the sequence again. Her technique was on par with his own: the edges of her skate blades carved into the ice with deadly precision and her perfect posture was put on stark display in the black bodysuit she wore.

“Ten more minutes until freestyle time is over,” John, Robin’s coach, prompted him. “Are you ready to get out there?”

Robin already had his skates laced up. He handed John his skate guards and took one last sip from his water bottle before making his way over to the little door in the boards where he could step onto the ice surface. He waited for an opening – no one here was about to give up a second of precious ice time for a stranger – and slid out slowly, testing the ice beneath his blades before pushing off and taking a few laps around the rink. 

The other skaters paid him little notice, being too wrapped up in their own training exercises. Robin ran through his usual pattern of warmup exercises to get his blood flowing and his nerves in check. This was a big risk he was about to take. The success (or failure) of this tryout could mean the revival of his career or the final nail in the coffin. 

Free ice time ended and the music shut off. A few of the skaters tried to linger but were chased off by their coaches. Two girls close to Robin’s age – a petite blonde singles skater and a pairs girl with a pixie cut – lingered in the bleachers near the centre of the rink to watch the show.

John motioned to Robin to come over to where he was stationed by the boards. “Robin, this is Ursula – Regina’s coach.” John gestured to the woman who stood next to him, who extended her hand in greeting. 

“I’m so glad you could join us today,” Ursula said as Robin shook her hand. “Regina dear! Stop showing off and get over here.”

Regina abandoned her twizzles and skated over to the group. 

****

Regina Mills had always believed in first impressions.

So when she saw Robin Locksley again for the first time in four years, the first thing she did was size him up. He still appeared to be in good physical shape despite not having competed recently. Good to know he wasn’t the type to neglect his off-ice training. He was wearing typical skater’s workout gear and skates that were comfortably worn-in. The only off-putting thing was the week’s worth of stubble that dotted his chin and upper lip. That was new. You’d think a guy who hadn’t competed in months would try to spruce himself up a little before courting a potential new partner. 

Robin smiled at her, oblivious to her disapproval. “Miss Mills. We meet again.” He inclined his head to her in a little bow. 

Was he mocking her? Regina felt her blood boil. Clearly he was still mad about the time she beat him. Why was he even here if he was just going to insult her?

“We’re so happy you came all this way to have a tryout!” Ursula enthused, saving Regina from having to say anything. “How was your flight out?”

“Everything went by the book,” John answered for Robin. “We had a training seminar at another rink earlier this week so we’re both over the jetlag.”

So he hadn’t come all the way to America just to skate with her. She was just a stop on the circuit for him. How flattering.

Ursula chose to ignore that last comment. “Let’s get you two situated and see how you look together.”

Try to smile, Regina coached herself in her head. This might be your last chance to find a partner on your level. At least try to make an effort.

“May I take your hand?” Robin offered as they skated to centre ice. 

Not trusting herself not to say something snotty, Regina slipped her hand into his. 

“Let’s do one circuit in hand-to-hand hold and see how you keep up with each other,” John advised from the boards.

Hand-in-hand hold is the easiest hold ice dancers can do. Regina and Robin matched their strides as they skated a few passes around the rink. Regina kept a close eye on Robin’s skates, making a mental note of his skating technique. He had what skating coaches refer to as “deep edges”, meaning that the edge of his skate blades made deep diagonal angles in the ice when he made his turns. Good blade technique and skating skills were essential if you wanted to make it as an ice dancer and Robin had those qualities in abundance.

After three trips around the ice they switched to a different hold: this time Regina and Robin faced each other and held both hands. This was a test to see if Regina could trust Robin to lead since she had to travel backward while he pushed them forward. They began at a slow pace and gradually increased their speed at the encouragement of their coaches as they made circles around and around the rink. 

Gradually their coaches started to run them through more complicated holds and exercises. They worked on crossovers, sections of the pattern dance (a required element where all the skaters had to do the same pre-choreographed steps) and a few basic lifts. Lifts were always the scariest aspect of skating with someone new. You had to put your life in your partner’s hands and pray that they didn’t drop you. Lifts were also the most dangerous element for an ice dancer: if you ever fell, your chances of winning fell with you. And if you fell often, the judges would label you an inconsistent performer and write you off as a lost cause.

Fortunately for Regina, Robin had excellent lift technique. He was broad-shouldered and strong, which enabled him to get Regina into the air and keep her there. She struck her pose and held it as Robin glided on the flat side of his skate blades. A wide smile spread across Regina’s face. It was exhilarating to be lifted by a partner who knew what he was doing. Regina was so caught up in the moment that she barely registered that Robin was trying to talk to her.

“How are you faring so far?” he asked after he’d set her down on the ice again. “I know it’s been awhile since you competed.”

“Just because I haven’t been competing doesn’t mean I haven’t been training,” Regina retorted. Everything had been going perfectly until he had to open his big mouth. He’d be vastly preferable as a silent partner.  
But now that he had her chatting, Robin was eager to keep talking as they settled into hand-in-hand hold again. “I’ve been looking forward to this tryout very much,” he said as he led her around a corner. “I always admired your tenacity.”

“What, back when you and Marian used to beat me and Jefferson?” she fired back. “Sure, I was tenacious. I wanted to prove we were as good as you.”

“Well, you’ve more than proved it in the last few years,” Robin pointed out with a gentle chuckle. “Your medal collection is very impressive.”  
Regina couldn’t help but smirk. She’d done the math and she had more medals and more wins overall than he did. 

“Most people would say thank you after a compliment like that,” he said with an air of light teasing. 

Regina narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m not here to stroke your ego, Locksley. I’m here because I want to go to the Olympics.”

“As do I. But I had hoped… if we’re going to be partners, it would be nice if we could be friends too.”

He really wants to be friends with me after I kicked his ass at Junior Worlds? No. No way. He was just playing nice because he was here for the exact same reason as her. The same reason every young skater drags themselves out of bed before the sun comes up for those early morning practices. The same reason they train for hours every day, on and off the ice. The same reason their parents sink thousands of dollars into coaching fees, costumes, travel expenses and equipment year after year. Everyone was chasing the Olympic dream but only a few would make it. And of those few, fewer still would ever step onto the podium, let alone win the big prize. But they trained on. Year after year, season after season, for that one-in-a-million chance of representing their country on the world stage. That was the life of a skater and it was not for the faint of heart.

“Let’s just work on being partners first,” Regina said. She nodded toward the boards where John and Ursula were deep in conversation. They were both smiling as if they’d just won the lottery. “Our coaches seem to like what they see.”

Robin followed her gaze with interest. “Indeed they do.” He slowed his pace slightly and caught her eyes again. “But the bigger question is: do you like what you see? Do you think this partnership could work?”

Regina didn’t answer right away. Could this really work? Could she really team up with her old rival? Could she bear to face him every single day with the knowledge that she helped derail his career? Would he ever forgive her?

Robin, to his credit, did not press the issue. “I can see you need some time to think about it. I know we’ve both suffered setbacks and losses in this sport, but if you’re willing… you’ve got yourself a partner.”

Was he out of his mind? “You really want to skate with me? After I beat you in 2011?” she blurted out tactlessly.

Robin slowed down and spun on his blades to face her. “Very much so. I’ve been trying to find a partner on my level for some time now. We’re well-matched in ability and in terms of size. And we’re both still young…”

Regina scoffed at that. It was true that ice dancers tended to have longer careers than singles and pairs skaters, but she was 22 and he was 24. Neither one of them could afford to sit out another season or else they’d risk being overtaken by younger skaters.

“We’re both still young enough,” he amended himself. “But it’s up to you. Take some time and think it over. It’s ultimately up to you.”

It was no small thing for him to leave the power in her hands. His dreams were on the line too, but here he was, letting her take the reins. 

All this time Regina had built up an idea in her mind of what Robin Locksley would really be like. She envisioned him as a driven competitor: full of nerve, ambition and the determination to win at all costs. But if she was being truthful with herself… the Robin Locksley she’d imagined was just a mirror of herself. The real Robin Locksley was someone else entirely. Someone that she found herself wanting to get to know better.

Regina turned her blade against the ice and came to a stop. “Okay. I will think it over and talk to my coach. We’ll let you know sooner rather than later either way.”

Robin nodded graciously. “Then I look forward to your call, Miss Mills.” He turned and started to skate toward the boards.

“I prefer Regina,” she called to his retreating back.

He turned and gave her another little bow. “Regina it is.”


	3. Partners

A week later they were officially training together.

Making the phone call to tell Robin she wanted him to be her new partner was one of the most awkward experiences of Regina’s life – even more awkward than when Daniel had called to invite her to the prom, only to be turned down because she had a competition that same weekend. The memory of that embarrassment still made Regina’s stomach turn and her face flush six years later.

The skating fan community was abuzz with the news. During the off-season, skating fans often had little to talk about while their favourite skaters weren’t competing. News of new partnerships, coaching changes and music for next season were the only scraps of gossip that kept the fandom going before skating season kicked off in September, and the news of Regina and Robin’s new partnership had created a frenzy.

“I’m so glad they paired up!” an enthusiastic fan gushed on one of the skating message boards. “They were both amazing with their previous partners but they could be even better together!”

“They’re both so prettyyyy,” someone else tweeted. “At least they’ll look good together even if they end up sucking.”

“Why couldn’t he find a partner in England?” An opinionated fan posted on his blog. “I hate all the country-hopping that goes on in skating these days! There used to be a time when the International Skating Union didn’t make it so easy for skaters.”

Regina and Robin did their best not to read too much of the criticism. Aside from Twitter, Regina preferred to stay away from social media entirely. Robin, she learned, was more of a Facebook man. “I used to look at skating forums all the time until I saw a nasty post about me and Jefferson after we messed up the short dance at our first senior Grand Prix event,” Regina confessed to Robin after their first week of training came to an end.

“I stopped reading message boards after everyone started talking about Will and Ana overtaking me and Marian,” Robin admitted. “People assumed we hated each other. But Will and I stayed friends through it all. He’s a good lad. And a good skater. He just happened to have a run of success with Ana while Marian and I ran into a rough patch. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”

Regina knew all too well how Robin felt. “Me and Jefferson were always neck-and-neck with Swan and Jones when we were juniors. They’re the second-ranked ice dance team in the US now, after Jefferson and Alice.”

“And I’m sure you and Robin will be neck-and-neck with them again in no time,” Ursula chimed in. “But first we need to get your programs nailed down.”

A skater can have all the technique and training in the world, but if they don’t have the programs to showcase those abilities, it could seriously handicap their chances. It was especially important for a new team to make a splashy debut with the right material. But finding the right material was always a challenge, even for a seasoned competitor. If they skated to familiar skating music, the fans would complain that they were being unoriginal and boring. If they took a risk and did something outside the box, they risked having the more conservative judges downgrade them for being too creative. It was a fine line to walk and they could not afford any missteps right out of the gate.

Which was why Ursula and John were pushing for a more familiar theme for Robin and Regina’s first free dance. “Romeo and Juliet is the perfect theme,” Ursula insisted. “It’s been done before, but we don’t have to make it too traditional with the choreography.”

Regina wasn’t keen on it. “I don’t know if I can pull off playing Juliet. She’s so… blah.”

“Then it’s up to you to make her less blah,” John pointed out. “I know you’re used to playing fiery characters, but why don’t we compromise. We’ll give you more of a diva role in the short dance.”

“That’s a good idea,” Ursula agreed. “We need to have that contrast between the short dance and the free dance anyway.”

But Regina wasn’t about to back down without a fight. “Which version of Romeo and Juliet are you thinking of? Prokofiev? Baz Luhrmann? What about West Side Story instead? It’s the same story, but no one has skated to it lately.”

“And have you going out there in Maria’s plain little white dress with the red sash?” Ursula scoffed. “Your costume designer would have a heart attack.”

“What about the 2013 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet?” John spoke up. “It’s a new variation on an old theme, but at least not many people have skated to it yet. It’s classical, which is bound to please the judges. But it’s not overused yet either.”

Robin was on Regina’s side. “West Side Story could be fun. It kind of works: Regina has Puerto Rican ancestry and I’m new to America.”

“I think it’s too literal,” Ursula argued. “But let’s listen to both soundtracks again and make up our minds.”

“Speaking of which: we need to pick a song for the pattern dance,” John reminded them. “Next season’s pattern dance is the Ravensburger Waltz. It has to be skated in 3/4 time or else the judges will downgrade us.”

“I took the liberty of compiling a list of acceptable songs that fit the tempo requirements,” Ursula said. “I’ll do you kids a deal: you can pick the music for the pattern dance if we settle on Romeo and Juliet for the free dance.”

“Fine,” Regina agreed. “But I am not going to mime dying on the ice at the end of the program.”

Robin shuddered. “Neither am I.” 

Ursula looked scandalized. “Heavens no!” she exclaimed. “That would be so 90’s.”

****

It happened that John had to fly back to England to visit a relative who was in the hospital that first weekend, so Regina invited Robin to come over to her apartment after their day at the rink to choose a song for a pattern dance. “My housemates helped me put together a Spotify playlist of as many songs in waltz tempo as we could find.”

“It’s very gracious of you to invite me,” Robin said with gratitude. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting your housemates.” The two girls who had sat in the stands to watch Regina and Robin’s tryout had kept close by during their training sessions. Robin had joked that they must be spies from a rival skating club until Regina laughingly informed him that they shared an apartment.

“They’re been looking forward to meeting you too. They even want you to crash with us this weekend while your coach is out of town. They’re very… excitable.”

Robin’s face split into a wide grin. “My goodness. Spending the weekend with three lovely ladies? Whatever did I do to deserve such an honour?”

Regina rolled her eyes. “Don’t get excited. Snow has a boyfriend and he’s likely to join us at some point. And Tink… I’m not even sure if she likes guys.”

“So it’s just you and me then,” he teased. 

She’d gotten used to his subtle flirting over the last week, but Regina had noticed that Robin was polite and friendly with most of the girls at the rink, so she didn’t feel like he was especially singling her out for his attention. She was willing to put up with it if he was equally willing to put up with her occasional prickliness. 

“Don’t get excited. Snow and Tink don’t mess around. If they don’t like you, they’ll be sure to let you know.”

“I’ll be on my best behaviour,” Robin promised.

Snow and Tink – formally called Mary Margaret Blanchard and Tina Kerr – preferred to be known by their nicknames. Mary Margaret had earned the name Snow because of her pale complexion and dark hair. Tina was called Tinker Bell because she bore a striking resemblance to a famous fairy. The welcomed Robin to their modest apartment with open arms and wide smiles.

“We’re so glad you’re here!” Snow said graciously before enveloping Robin in a tight hug. “We never thought Regina would find the perfect partner, but here you are!”

“Hold your horses, Snow. We don’t know if he’s perfect yet,” Tink pointed out, but she was smiling too. “It’s nice to meet you properly, Robin.”

“It’s nice to meet you both as well – I’ve noticed you both lurking around the rink,” he said. “I was beginning to worry you were there to scope out the competition. I was quite relieved to learn you ladies were just Regina’s roommates.”

It was Tink’s turn to cook dinner that night and she opted for tacos. “We usually cheat on our diets on Friday,” she admitted to Robin. “We can get away with it in the summer when we’re not training at full capacity.” Even so, Tink had opted for lean beef, multigrain taco shells and low-fat toppings. Not being able to eat fatty foods was one of the sacrifices a skater had to make.

“If I ever win an Olympic medal, I’m treating myself to all the McDonald’s I can eat,” Snow declared with an air of longing.

“Won’t you let me give you a hand?” Robin asked Tink. “I used to cook for my flatmates back in England.”

Regina was surprised. “You cook?” 

Robin ducked his head modestly. “It was just me, Will and another bloke named Philip sharing a flat. One of us had to learn.” Will must be doing the cooking now, Robin thought, or the poor chaps will starve.

“Have you and your coach found an apartment here yet?” Snow inquired. 

Robin shook his head. “We’d been living out of our hotel until John got the call to go home. He said we’d figure it out when he got back.”

“Well, you can always crash with us for a while longer if you need to,” Snow offered. “I’m told the sofa is very comfy.”

Robin, who was intrigued, looked to Regina for an explanation. “David couch-surfed with us for a few weeks before he found a place of his own. He’s been trying to get Snow to move in with him.”

“So they’re a couple off the ice as well? Interesting.”

It’s not that interesting, Regina thought to herself. A lot of pairs skaters ended up getting involved with their partners or training mates because their demanding schedules didn’t allow much time to date anyone else. She’d seen it in their eyes the second she’d introduced David and Snow. Regina didn’t believe in love at first sight, but their infatuation was very real.

Noting the lull in conversation, Regina took the opportunity to fire up the playlist of songs in 3/4 time. They spent the rest of the evening enjoying a leisurely meal and debating the merits of certain songs. Robin was partial to “Norwegian Wood” until Regina pointed out that the time signature was wrong. “It sounds like 6/8 to me, not 3/4. It does have a waltz-y lilt to it, but we can’t afford a tempo deduction.”

Snow was advocating hard for “Chim Chim Cher-ee” from Mary Poppins, but Tink put the kibosh on that one. “They’re already forcing Regina to play boring Juliet. I’m not sure Mary Poppins is gonna cut it.”

“Are you saying I can’t be as perky as Mary Poppins?” Regina scoffed. “I could play a mean Mary Poppins.”

“If it has to be from a musical, you should do “Wunderbar” from Kiss Me Kate!” Tink suggested. 

But at the end of the night, the one song that everyone kept coming back to was “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. Though they were all tired after arguing for hours, Robin playfully pulled Regina to her feet. “Care to take a turn with me, milady?”

Regina relented. She hated to lose an argument, she had to admit that the song fit the tempo requirements and it was one they could both agree on. Robin waltzed her around the small living room, taking care not to bump into the couch corners or the coffee table. From their perch on the sofa Tink and Snow exchanged knowing looks that went completely unnoticed my Regina and Robin. The girls slipped out of the room before the song was over to discuss the latest developments amongst themselves.

“We should really just settle on this one before anyone else has the chance to argue about it,” Regina said resignedly as the song drew to a close and Robin released her. “If we play by the rules this year, maybe John and Ursula will give us more creative freedom next season.”

“I’m sure they’ll give us the freedom to choose the music for our exhibition piece,” Robin pointed out. “Is there any special song you’ve been hoping to skate to?”

Regina took a seat on the now-vacated couch. “There is one… I’ve been dying to do a program to Florence and the Machine. But I don’t want to waste it on an exhibition. I want to save it for a free dance.”

Robin nodded thoughtfully. “I like Florence. Maybe we could push for that next season… depending on how things pan out this season, I mean.”

It was difficult to imagine where they’d be a year from now after only skating together for a week. But it had been a productive week. Their training was going well on and off the ice and they had at least a rough idea of what their programs would look like. But there was a little nagging thought in the back of Regina’s mind. What if it didn’t work out? What if, after all the time and effort they were about to put into training these programs, they make fools of themselves at their first competition?

Don’t be dumb, she scolded herself. The US Skating Federation hasn’t even assigned us to a competition yet. Maybe you should worry about crossing that bridge when you actually come to it.


	4. The Challenge

Robin and Regina received their first competitive assignment after they’d been training together for a month. Two representatives from the US Federation made a special trip to the skating club to monitor their progress and were very impressed by what they saw. Robin and Regina were assigned to a competition that would take place in Salt Lake City in September. Regina took it as a good omen, since Salt Lake City was a former Olympic host city. 

Once their programs were fully prepared, the next step was costuming. Regina scheduled a meeting with her favourite costume designer: a sharp-dressing retired skater named Mal who had a penchant for smart suits and jaunty hats. Mal was an expert in all things fashion and Regina trusted her implicitly.

“I can’t believe they’ve stuck you with dreary Romeo and Juliet,” Mal lamented as she led Regina around her workroom, navigating their way between mannequins wearing half-finished costumes as they went. “But don’t worry, darling. I’ll make it fabulous.”

“Just as long as you don’t make me look like some frilly little princess,” Regina requested. 

Mal huffed, offended by the very notion. “Certainly not. I’m thinking something clean and modern. No flimsy little puffed sleeves or anything of the sort. Maybe something in a pastel with an asymmetrical hem?”

“As long as it’s not baby pink.”

“Hmm.” Mal paused in front of her collection of fabrics. “Perhaps a nice soft lavender will be the ticket. We could dye the hem for an ombre effect and add some subtle rhinestones to the bodice…”

Mal pulled a few bolts of fabric off the wall and spread them out on the worktable. This was Regina’s cue to back off and let the seamstress work her magic. Half an hour later, Mal had produced a series of fashion sketches which she scanned and sent to Ursula for final approval. Robin’s costumes would end up being more of an afterthought. As the male half of their partnership, his costume had to complement Regina’s without drawing attention away from her.

With the costumes and the programs well on their way to being perfected, Regina and Robin threw themselves into their training regime. They had the opportunity to present their short dance at an ice show in August and the audience response was very positive. The days and weeks ticked by and soon it was time to pack up and head for Salt Lake City.

The flight from their training base in Michigan to SLC was only three and a half hours but Regina couldn’t relax. She was about to learn if all her hard work over the last few months would amount to something. No biggie. It was only her entire career on the line.

She wasn’t naïve enough to think they would win. They were going up against another American team and the top-ranked Canadian team in the field were the favourites to win. The most important thing for Robin and Regina to do was earn the technical minimum score they needed to compete at bigger, more prestigious events in the future. If they didn’t earn the technical minimum, they couldn’t compete at the World Championships. And if they couldn’t make it to the World Championship level, the Olympics would be out of the question.

Regina tried to push the negative thoughts from her mind. She plugged her headphones into her iPod and brought up the Hamilton soundtrack. Hamilton had become her go-to music ever since the play had made its Broadway debut. 

She allowed her eyes to fall shut as the upbeat music of “The Schuyler Sisters” echoed in her mind. It was one of her favourite songs from the show and she found herself lip-synching along to Angelica Schuyler’s parts. “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. And when I met Thomas Jefferson, I’ma compel him to include women in the sequel – work!”

Someone to her left chuckled softly and Regina realized she’d been reciting the lyrics out loud. She yanked out her headphones and looked up to see Robin grinning at her. “Is that from Hamilton?” He asked. “I’ve been meaning to listen to that.”

Mortified, Regina paused the music and stuffed her iPod back in her purse. “Yes, it’s from Hamilton. Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

Robin raised his hands in surrender. “I apologise. I didn’t realise you were so… into it.”

Regina could feel herself blushing but she forced herself to scowl at him so he wouldn’t see how embarrassed she was. “It’s the best thing to happen to Broadway in this decade. Of course I’m into it.”

“Maybe we should use it for our exhibition piece,” he suggested in a half-joking, half-serious tone.

Regina hummed thoughtfully. “I’ll be sure to add it to the list.”

****

The next 24 hours were a whirlwind. Regina, Robin and their coaches jumped around from the airport, to their hotel, a quick meal and finally to the rink for their first practice session. Regina found herself surrounded by new and familiar faces in the girls’ change room. Ruby Lucas, one of the Canadian competitors, gave Regina a warm greeting but a few of the European girls gave her the stinkeye.

“They’re mad you managed to snag Locksley,” Ruby explained in an undertone as they made their way down the hall that led to the ice surface. “I know for a fact that that the girl from Lithuania would’ve dumped her partner in a heartbeat if Robin had called her for a tryout.”

Regina, who was a bit out of the loop with the latest gossip, listened with interest. “Is there anyone else I should be on the lookout for?”

“They tell me Belle French and her new partner are well-matched,” Ruby reported, “but I haven’t seen them yet. I’d rather make the judgement call for myself.”

The first evening practice session was uneventful, but a young skater from Japan got injured the next day and was forced to withdraw from the competition. Regina wasn’t there to witness the accident but she felt a pang of sadness for the girl. She knew better than anyone how an injury can derail your chances. But she had no time to mourn: the short dance was the first event on the second day of competition and she had to get her head back in the competitive game. There were nine ice dance teams competing at this event and they were divided into two groups. As a new team, Regina and Robin were relegated to the early group because they didn’t have any ranking points yet. A draw was made to determine the order they would skate in and Regina and Robin drew the second spot. Belle French and her new partner, Archie Hopper, earned the dubious honour of being the first team out.

Regina fidgeted with her costume backstage as the announcer’s voice boomed from the loudspeaker. Mal had designed a sparkly red and black halter dress for the short dance specifically to contrast with the floaty ethereal number she was wearing for the free dance. Robin was in a matching red shirt and black trousers.

Robin was also nervous. He kept pacing back and forth in the same spot behind the curtain that led to the ice. Eventually Regina got fed up and poked her head out to see what was going on. Ruby was right: Belle and her new partner looked very well-matched. She watched them take their final bow as the announcer said their names again.

“I didn’t realize they were competing for Australia,” Robin whispered to Regina as they prepared to take their turn. “She’s been training here in the States for the last two years.”

Regina was less surprised. “She has Australian roots. And there’s less competition in Australia.”

“Good point,” Robin agreed as Belle and her partner skated off to get their marks. In the few minutes of downtime while the judges calculated their scores, the next team was permitted to go out on the ice to warm up. Regina and Robin took a few laps before splitting off and running through a set of warmup exercises. Belle and Archie were scored in the low 50s – an impressive feat for a new team. Robin and Regina had to do at least as well to earn the magical technical minimum they needed.

Regina felt herself start to sweat. She glided back to the boards for a quick nod of approval from the coaches and a final sip of water. Robin waited for her at centre ice and held out his hand. “How are you feeling?” he whispered as the judge announced their names and they took their opening position.

Regina pushed back her nerves and put a determined expression on her face. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s do this.”

“Let’s do this,” Robin echoed.

The opening bars of “Piano Man” started to play and the skaters moved through the opening choreography of the dance with a practiced air. The first element was the dreaded twizzle sequence and Regina was so used to practicing them on her own that she got slightly off synch from Robin. She gritted her teeth as they moved through the next few steps that led to the pattern dance. They’d both completed the required number of rotations but the judges would probably not be generous on their grade of execution mark because of the lack of unison. Their coaches wouldn’t be pleased either. The twizzles had been hit and miss in practice and Ursula was bound to give Regina hell for it later.

Mercifully the pattern dance felt much more secure. They’d been drilling the steps and turns around the clock to make sure the judges had no reason to downgrade them. Robin was able to put his strong partnering skills on display while Regina showed off her elegant lines and dancer’s posture. They made it through the pattern dance without incident and both breathed a sigh of relief. The two hardest elements were out of the way. 

In order to mark the change from the first half of the program to the second, there had to be a change in music and tempo. Once they’d settled on “Piano Man”, John had suggested they fill in the second half of the program with another Billy Joel song. “Uptown Girl” was the one they went with in the end – it gave Regina a chance to show off and play the hoity-toity girl while Robin’s character tried to woo her. Regina felt a little off the rhythm in the step sequence but Robin was able to whisper a few words of encouragement before taking her up into the lift at the end. He spun her around and set her back down on her feet and they struck their ending pose together.

The audience clapped appreciatively as they took their bows. A few people waved American flags and someone threw a plush toy out on to the ice. Regina skated over and picked it up, waving up at the crowd as she went. She noticed a few people carrying signs that bore the name and image of their skating idols. There weren’t any signs for her and Robin yet, but if they did well here, they could start building a fanbase for the future.

John and Ursula handed them their skate guards as they came off the ice and directed them to a little seating area to await their marks. They called this waiting area the Kiss n Cry because seeing your marks would either make you want to kiss someone or cry your eyes out. There was a padded bench for the skaters to sit on and the platform was decorated with floral bouquets and the flags of the countries in the competition.

“Trouble on the twizzles, but good for a first time out,” Ursula said as they sat down on the bench together. “The pattern looked very secure.”

Regina smiled weakly and hugged the plushie to her chest. Robin managed to sneak an arm around her back and give her a supportive pat on the shoulder. “The twizzles were fine,” he whispered in her ear. “My timing was off, not yours. You’re still a bit faster on that element than me.”

“I guess you’ll have to work harder,” she teased him lightly. “I thought the lift was good.”

“The lift was great,” John agreed. “The crowd gave us a nice bit of applause for it too.”

The judges took their time announcing the scores. Regina started to fret – usually if the judges took too long it was because they were scrutinizing something – but when their final mark was announced, her face split into an unrestrained smile.

“55.62!” she repeated with elation after they were alone backstage. “That’s higher than I expected.”

“And we made the technical minimum,” Robin added. He was smiling too: an ear-to-ear grin that showed off his dimples. “It felt really good out there. Being able to compete again…” he trailed off and raked his fingers through his hair. “You’re an incredible performer, Regina. I don’t think I remind you of that often enough.”

“You’re not half-bad yourself,” she responded, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder. And she agreed. It had felt good being able to compete again… being able to compete with him as her partner and not her rival. It was a feeling she could get used to.


	5. Success and Setback

Robin and Regina retreated to their hotel after the short dance – not for rest and relaxation but to analyse the results. All the skaters were given printouts of the detailed marks breakdown so they could see exactly where they lost points and what they needed to do to bring their scores up. As predicted, they took a hit on the twizzles but scored respectfully on most of the other elements. The only point of contention was the partial step sequence. The technical specialist had judged that element to be of low difficulty, but the grade of execution mark was high by comparison.

“We’ll be drilling the twizzles and the step sequence when we get home,” Ursula promised. “We can’t afford to lose points there again.”

“I think we ought to add a few more complicated turns to up the difficulty level,” John suggested. “The high grade of execution suggests that the judges liked the step sequence for its musicality, even if they don’t think it’s technically difficult enough yet.”

With all the technical talk and plans for what needed to change, the skaters and their coaches went to bed that night with a lot on their minds. They were offered a brief reprieve from competition the next morning, as the ladies event was scheduled to take place before the free dance. Then it was back to the rink and back into the fray.

Regina and Robin’s unexpectedly high score had left them in third place after the short dance. It was an enviable position to be in but not without its added difficulties. Yesterday they’d skated early, but today their high scores had earned them the right to skate in the elite final group. The coaches were pleased to see that their team’s status had risen overnight. Regina and Robin were also pleased but were now forced to sit and wait while the lower-ranked teams competed. Everyone team scored higher than the team that went before and it wasn’t long before Regina and Robin were both overcome by nerves.

But they were determined. Their free dance, the much-dreaded Romeo and Juliet, had grown on Regina in the last few months of training. Ursula had sought the advice of a contemporary dance choreographer to give the classical theme a modern facelift. And the costume helped: Mal’s simple lavender frock had morphed into a sleek, elegant dress in a shade of light purple that complemented Regina’s skintone and dark eyes. The bodice of the dress had a faux-corseted design and the purple ribbon that laced up the back matched the dark purple ombre of the skirt. Robin’s shirt was the same shade of dark purple with a few subtle rhinestones.

The free dance went as well as a program in the early stages of the season could. There were a few moments of panic when the skaters didn’t clasp hands quickly enough or didn’t get as deep on their edges as they should have, but overall they performed the two step sequences, twizzles, spin and lifts with confidence. As always, the coaches and their eagle eyes were able to point out the tiny flaws afterward and come up with a plan to fix them in the future. Regina and Robin came away from the competition in second place overall. They shared the podium with Ruby Lucas and her partner August Booth in the gold medal position, Belle French and Archie Hopper took the bronze.

As important as the final placements were, the final scores would also prove to be an asset. Not only did Robin and Regina earn their technical minimum, they scored higher than anyone expected them to. Skating fans took notice: the message boards were abuzz with the news and a YouTube clip of their performance racked up hundreds of views. The US Federation took notice too.

Mr. Gold, one of the Federation’s high-ranking members, paid a visit to the skating club to congratulate them personally. The figure skating Grand Prix was scheduled to start in mid-October and Team USA still had one open spot for ice dance. “We’ve been monitoring several lower-ranked teams this summer and fall to see who should get the last spot,” Mr. Gold explained to the coaches over a conference call. “So far you two have earned the highest scores of the group. We would be pleased to offer you a spot as host picks for the American Grand Prix event.”

Regina and Robin exchanged knowing looks as Ursula and John tripped over themselves to thank Mr. Gold for his generosity. The Grand Prix was a big deal – much bigger than the event they’d just competed at. Not only was it more prestigious, it was infinitely more competitive as well. There was also more prize money involved. Gaining a Grand Prix assignment, even just as a host pick, was a coup. Some skaters from smaller countries had to work for years before getting the call to go to the Grand Prix.

But going to the Grand Prix was not without its drawbacks. In the euphoria that followed the assignment, Regina went back and double-checked the roster of teams they would be competing against only to have her heart sink in horror.

“Oh no,” she murmured to herself as she enlarged the image on the screen of her smartphone. “Not them. Anyone but them.”

“Anyone but who?” Robin inquired, leaning over to look. “Oh. Them. Alice and Jefferson.” That won’t be awkward at all: it’s only Regina’s ex-partner and the girl he dumped her for while she was injured, he lamented. It’s just our luck that our first major outing would be against them.

Robin had been wrestling with how to ask Regina precisely how her partnership with Jefferson had fallen through. A part of him felt he ought to know if we wanted to support her and be there for her, but he didn’t want to press the issue. He wanted to give Regina the chance to tell him the story on her own terms. So he’d given her space and time – three months of it, in fact. And still nothing. If there was ever a time to bring it up, this was it. Regina was sitting frozen on the cafeteria bench with the phone limp in her hand. Her eyes were watery but she wasn’t crying yet – indeed, she was making a valiant effort not to let a single tear escape. 

“I’m going to the weight room,” she announced as she rose from her seat. 

Robin made a move to follow her. “That sounds like a good idea.”

“You don’t need to come with me,” she huffed as he followed half a step behind her. “I’m perfectly capable of…”

“I know you are,” he said soothingly. “I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“I’m fine.” She turned away and kept walking.

Robin knew she wasn’t fine: her voice was brittle and the colour had drained from her cheeks. I wanted to be there for her, to be the supportive partner. “I’d you’d rather I left you alone, I can go,” he said. “I just want you to know you can talk to me about anything. Or nothing, if you’d prefer. Whatever’s easier.”

Regina sighed and slowed her steps. He was trying not to pry, and doing a valiant job of it, but she knew he had questions. Questions he deserved to have the answers to. “You want the backstory,” she deduced, giving him a searching stare down. If he was too polite to ask, he was going to get the truth whether he wanted it or not.

Robin faltered, momentarily put off by her bluntness. “Only if you’re comfortable telling me,” he responded. It’s still up to her, he told himself. It’s always up to her.

Regina pursed her lips and considered her next words carefully. He might take it badly if she was too flippant or left out some of the gorier details. If they really wanted to trust each other, he had to know the entire sad story from start to finish. “If I tell you, you have to stop feeling sorry for me,” she said. Without waiting for a response, Regina grabbed Robin’s wrist and pulled him into the closest room. It was a dance studio that was mercifully empty for the moment. Regina calculated she had half an hour before someone needed the space for their off-ice ballet training, so she’d have to make the most of her time. “Let me ask you a question: why do you think Jefferson and I split up?”

Robin frowned in the dim light. Was that a trick question? Everyone knew Regina’s injury had been the cause of the split. Clearly there was more to it than that. “I always assumed he left you because of the injury,” he said nervously. What other reason could there be?

Regina sighed heavily and crossed her arms. “That’s what most people assume.”

“But that’s not what happened,” Robin surmised.

“Not exactly.” Regina took a steadying breath before continuing. “When I got hurt… my ankle was completely screwed up. I had damage to the lower part of my fibula and my Achilles tendon. I was rushed to surgery and slapped into a very attractive walking cast. My doctor said I would never skate again.”

Robin listened intently. He’d known of the severity of the injury but not of the grim diagnosis. 

“I got to hobble around on crutches for three months. I had to have screws implanted while I healed and I had to get them taken out again once I was back on my feet,” Regina continued. “The pain was… unlike anything you could imagine. Jefferson barely left my side in the weeks after my first surgery. And when the doctor said my career was done, he got this look in his eye. He felt bad for me. But he also felt bad for himself. When he looked at me… he could see his own dreams spiraling down the drain. He felt guilty because he thought he fumbled the lift. But it was me. I was showing off and I got away from him. I hit the boards with a crunch and that was it. Game over.

“I knew in that moment that I had to let him go. He wasn’t injured. He could still skate. I was a lost cause.”

“So… you were the one who ended the partnership,” Robin concluded.

“I wanted him to have his best chance. I wanted him to go to the Olympics for both of us. I was more worried about whether I’d be able to walk again without limping, let alone put on another pair of skates. So I threw myself into physio. I told him to find another partner but he refused – at least at first. I didn’t call him for weeks. Even after my second surgery, he was adamant about sticking with me.”

“What changed his mind?”

Regina sniffed. “She did. Alice was at our skating club visiting a friend and they started playing around during free ice time. They tried a few lifts and tricks and someone joked that they looked good together. It wasn’t even a formal audition. Everyone tried to keep it from me so I wouldn’t worry, but I managed to get the truth out of Snow. She’s terrible at keeping secrets.”

Robin made a mental note not to tell Snow any of his secrets. Not that he had many, but he made note of it nonetheless.

“A week later it was official,” Regina continued. “They went to a summer competition just like we did and wowed everyone. They qualified for a spot on the Grand Prix thanks to the returning split couple rule and that was it. They won US Nationals. They placed second at Four Continents. They placed fifth at Worlds. It was a nightmare. I had to watch it at home on my couch with me foot elevated, knowing that that could have been me if I hadn’t fucked up my ankle.”

Robin, who had remained silent during the entire tale, reached out and laced his fingers through hers. He’d always known she was strong but to think of the pain she’d endured and the disappointment of seeing her ex-partner with a new girl even after she’d initiated the breakup… it was a wonder Regina could bear it all. In many ways it made her stronger than him. Though he had the muscles and the physicality, his partner was made of steel. She’d survived, despite the odds, and was able to skate again. It was nothing short of miraculous.

“You’re very brave,” he whispered. “I can’t imagine what you went through.” He gave her hand a supportive little squeeze.

Regina laughed humourlessly. “It was hell.”

“And you survived,” he said firmly. “You survived and you came back stronger than ever.”

A hesitant smile fought its way to the surface. “You’re damn right I did.”

Robin let go of Regina’s hands and gave her a loose hug. Though he’d touched her many times before – the necessity of the sport required him to be in close quarters with her at all times – he didn’t want to overwhelm her now. She reciprocated, much to his relief. Her elegant arms wrapped around his middle and she leaned comfortably into him. Robin marvelled at how perfectly they fit together before he remembered his mission to support her and build her up. “You’re going to kick ass at this Grand Prix, Regina. Jefferson and Alice may be the reigning US champions, but you are the one everyone will be talking about after this event. You and your triumphant comeback.”

Regina released him and stepped away gracefully. “Not just me. Everyone will be talking about us.”


	6. The Grand Prix

Regina and Robin threw themselves into their training routine with renewed vigour. After making the necessary changes to their partial step sequence to increase the difficulty, they essentially had to re-learn the entire element. The lifts in the free dance also needed more mileage. As a new team, they were still getting used to each other’s unique body movements and balance points. Learning four new lifts was a tall order for any team, so they ended up modifying two of the lifts Regina had done with Jefferson and one of the lifts Robin had done with Marian. In the end, only one of the free dance lifts was completely new.

It was called a rotational lift: Robin had to support Regina with one arm while he traveled in a counter-clockwise circle across the ice. The goal of the lift was to create a beautiful picture on the ice with the soft material of Regina’s floaty skirt and her elegant body position.

After a particularly gruelling practice session, Regina ran into Robin in the cafeteria of the skating club. He was consulting a map of the United States that was proudly displayed on the concrete wall with a border of state flags around it. “You Americans certainly enjoy your national pride,” he remarked upon her approach. He had his usual teasing glint in his eyes.

“And the British don’t?” Regina retorted. By now they were both accustomed to each other’s ways of speaking and Regina knew he didn’t mean anything by it, just as he did not take offence in return. “I’ve been to England, you know,” Regina went on. “We may enjoy flying the Stars and Stripes around here, but it’s not as if your folks shy away from showing off your Union Jack.”

“Touché,” Robin admitted with a rueful smile. “Canadians on the other hand…”

Regina made a face. “Let’s not go there. They are another brand entirely.”

“A brand that spells things properly,” Robin pointed out.

“As if you need an extra letter U in the word ‘favourite’!” Regina fired back. They locked eyes for a moment before they both dissolved into easy laughter. Robin’s smile deepened and for a moment Regina forgot that she’d been slightly annoyed with him.

She studied him as he continued to survey the map. Robin traced his fingers from their present location in Detroit across the way to the destination of their Grand Prix event in Milwaukee. “Have you ever been there?” he asked Regina. “It’s not much of a skating town, is it?”

“They have the American Grand Prix event in a different city every year,” Regina reminded him. “I’ve been there a few times though. Snow, Tink and I took the ferry back in the spring for a little daytrip.”

“Hmm.” Robin drummed his fingers thoughtfully against the map. “It doesn’t look like a big distance from here to there.” He pointed between the two cities for emphasis. “Why are we flying instead of driving?”

“We’re flying because it would take five times as long to get there by car. We’d have to cut around through Illinois and Chicago traffic is a nightmare. Trust me, it’s less of a headache to fly.”

“What about the train?” Robin wondered. “It would be more scenic.”

One of the other girls in the cafeteria snorted. “Oh my God Regina, your partner is such a tourist!” she exclaimed.

Robin blinked at the interloper in mild confusion and Regina gave her a death glare. “Ignore her,” Regina hissed, and stepped out of earshot. Robin followed. “The train would take even longer.”

Robin made a mental note of this information. “Our eavesdropping friend is right, though. I have dual citizenship but I still don’t know much about the country I now call home. I can’t help but feel like a tourist.” He looked a little embarrassed to be admitting it and Regina couldn’t help smiling. He was kind of adorable when he was being all clueless.

“That’s why you don’t want to fly,” she surmised. She cast around for something to say – a way to make it up to him – and had a flash of inspiration. “Maybe some weekend we could do some touristy stuff around Michigan,” she offered. “There’s lots of things we could do. We could invite David and the girls along too. And I could drive, since you don’t have an American license yet.”

“That sounds fun,” Robin said with a rueful smile. “I’ll definitely have to take you up on that.”

Regina found herself returning the smile as the corners of her lips tilted upward of their own accord. It was easy to smile when she was around him. She had never been the type to have a smile as her default expression. More often than not, Regina was convinced she had a chronic case of resting bitchface. She was the girl who had creeps on the street tell her to smile, only to be met by a glare that would melt steel in return. But Robin didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he felt a touch of pride for those few precious smiles he was able to draw out of her. 

But there were some situations where it was impossible to coax a smile out of the Ice Queen, and an early morning flight was one of those times. Seated in a row of three with Robin and Tink, Regina claimed the window seat, pulled a face mask over her eyes and promptly went back to sleep. Tink, bleary-eyed and sedate, put her headphones in apologetically and reclined her seat back. Robin was left alone with only his nerves for company. He’d been nervous before the event in Salt Lake City, but a Grand Prix event was infinitely more nerve-racking than a little summer competition. They’d gotten through that event well enough, but this would be different. Here there would be television cameras all around the rink, photographers clicking away in the stands and press conferences after each event. The audience would be bigger, the judges would be pickier and the fans would be as fickle as ever. 

At some point during the short flight he must have dozed off because he awoke to find Tink shaking his shoulder. “We’re here!” she whispered. “Give Regina a shake for me. I’m heading to Starbucks.”

Tink slipped out of their row, leaving Robin alone with a still-sleeping Regina. Not wanting to startle her, he gave her shoulder a gentle tap and whispered her name. Nothing. She was sleeping like the dead and the plane was slowly emptying around them. “Regina,” he repeated a bit louder. “We’re here, milady. Up you get.” He gave her shoulder a firmer shake and she jolted out of her slumber and jerked away from him.

“What the hell?” she exclaimed, before realizing it was him. “Oh. Are we here already?”

She looked so cute with her sleep mask tangled in her hair that Robin hardly had the heart to drag her off the plane. “Come on, your majesty. Tink said something about Starbucks…”

Regina was up in a split second. She was never one to turn down a non-fat latte. “Let’s go.”

Robin chuckled and gestured to Regina’s eye mask. “Perhaps you should…”

Regina’s cheeks turned pink. “Oh.” She ripped the mask off and stuffed it in her purse. Thank God he’d noticed before she went wandering through an airport full of people looking like she’d just rolled out of bed. It was bad enough that her hair was a mess and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. But coffee would help. “Starbucks,” she said with a nod. “Lead on.”

After coffee, breakfast and a trip to the hotel to check in and drop off their luggage, the skaters boarded a bus that would take them to their first practice session at the Milwaukee Panther Arena. The atmosphere on the bus was nothing like the laid-back camaraderie Regina had had with Ruby at the event in Salt Lake City. This time everyone was red-eyed, grim-faced and quiet. 

Skate America was the first of six Grand Prix events that took place every autumn. The top six high scorers in each discipline would later advance to the Grand Prix Final: an event that took place in a different country every year. This year’s Grand Prix Final was in Barcelona, Spain. Regina, with her Latin roots, dreamed of going to Spain but the likelihood of qualifying for the Grand Prix Final in her first season with a new partner were statistically impossible as long as she and Robin only had one Grand Prix assignment. But even so, it was pleasant to think about Spain and its history and culture. There was no doubt she’d be glued to the livestream of the event in the comfort of her own home when it happened.

The ice dancers took to the rink for their practice session after the pairs and ladies singles skaters had their turns. Regina shivered as she laced up her skates. It was cold in the arena but it wasn’t just the cold that was bothering her. It was the knowledge that her ex-partner was somewhere in the building and getting ready to skate with someone else.

As if on cue, the door to the dressing room was thrown open and Alice Marvella stepped inside gracefully. Regina had never seen the girl up close, but a quick once-over was all she needed. She was both taller and younger than Regina and her light brown hair was beautifully styled with warm blonde highlights and soft curls. Her skin was a flawless porcelain and her light eyes were sharp and thoughtful. She was opposite of Regina in every possible way.

Regina planned to make a swift exit before Alice noticed her. She was ready to leave anyway, so she packed her belongings up in her skate bag and headed for the door. She almost made it when a voice behind her called her name. It wasn’t Alice’s voice though. It was a voice she’d last heard two years ago at the World Championships. She turned around reluctantly to face her competitor.

“I thought we had lost you forever!” the source of the voice, another ice dancer named Guinevere Troyes, exclaimed. She wrapped Regina in a tight hug before releasing her and looking her over. “You look well enough. How’s the ankle treating you?”

Regina never knew what to make of Guinevere. Sometimes she seemed genuinely sweet and friendly but other times she acted aloof and stuck up. It was as if she had two different personalities depending on whose company she was in. Regina schooled her face into a neutral expression. Everyone else in the change room was staring at them now. Alice looked particularly shocked. “My ankle is as good as new,” Regina reported. She flexed her left foot for emphasis. 

“Well, I am glad you are back,” Guinevere said with a nod of satisfaction. “Things were getting dull without our fiery ice queen.”

“Well, we can’t have that!” Regina said. “I predict this competition will be anything but dull,” she added quietly, thinking of Alice and Jefferson. 

Speaking of Jefferson, Robin had spotted him leaving the men’s change room around the same time that Alice arrived at the women’s change room. Wanting to clear the air, Robin caught Jefferson’s eye and followed him into the hallway. At first neither of the young men could think of anything to say. They just kind of stared each other down for a moment and after each had decided that the other wasn’t a threat, they both started talking at once.

After laughing it off, Jefferson inquired, “How is she? Regina, I mean. We haven’t talked since her second surgery.”

Robin hefted his bag further up on his shoulder before responding. He didn’t want to give away too much. “She’s been great,” he said. “She’s a very resilient and talented young woman.” One that you let get away, he added silently. He didn’t judge Jefferson for it, not really. But even though he’d only been skating with Regina for a few months, Robin knew it would take a lot more than a broken fibula to separate himself from her.

“Yeah, she is,” Jefferson agreed. He shuffled from foot to foot on his skate guards. “So are we good, you and I? No hard feelings?”

Robin wasn’t one to hold a grudge so he held out a hand for Jefferson to shake. “None whatsoever,” he said as they shook hands. “In fact, I should be thanking you for freeing up such a wonderful partner.”

Jefferson cleared his throat and looked at the ground. “Yes. Well.”

“Well indeed,” Robin said pleasantly. “Best of luck to you and Alice.” He gave Jefferson a polite nod and continued down the hall to the ice surface.

****

 

“Alice didn’t even talk to me at all, can you believe it?” Regina said to Tink after the practice sessions were over and they were back in their hotel room. “She just gaped at me like she’d seen a ghost.”

Tink, who was sitting on her bed with the television remote, scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I still say she’s a partner stealing little backstabber,” she said with relish. Once Tina Kerr made up her mind about something, she didn’t change it again in a hurry. As if to emphasise her point, Tink stabbed at the channel buttons until she found a trashy reality show she liked to hate-watch. “Grabbing Jefferson like that while you were in the lurch. I hate her on principle.”

Regina didn’t hate Alice on principle but she was put off by the girl’s lack of approach. Maybe she was just shy, Regina contemplated. Or maybe she still felt guilty about the way it had happened and was avoiding being confronted about it. Neither of those scenarios were promising. If Regina wanted any kind of closure, she’d have to get it for herself.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Tink said snidely. “You’re going to try to talk to her after the short dance tomorrow.”

Regina bristled. “So what if I do? I have to talk to her at some point. If everything goes well, this won’t be the last time I have to compete against them. I can’t not talk to her for the rest of my competitive career.”

“You could try,” Tink joked, but Regina silenced her with a look. She’d already made up her mind to be the bigger person in the scenario. She had a great new partner, perfectly choreographed programs and beautiful costumes. Everything was going to go well.

That night Regina had a very bizarre dream. She dreamt she was skating to Carmen again, this time with Robin instead of Jefferson. They were just completing their first step sequence when the door in the boards opened and Jefferson and Alice skated directly into their path. In her haste to stop, Regina skidded and her feet slid out from under her. Robin caught her in his arms but then he faltered too and they both fell to the unforgiving hard surface of the ice. Somewhere above her dizzy head, Regina could hear Alice and Jefferson’s music start. She looked up and saw that her rivals had started skating their program before she and Robin had even left the ice. She dragged herself to her feet and tried to flag down the referee. Surely they couldn’t see what was going on, surely they would fix this…

“Can I help you with something, dearie?” Mr. Gold appeared out of nowhere. Regina screamed and nearly collided with Robin again. “Oh dear. Looks like your time is up!” He handed Regina her skate guards and smiled grimly. “It’s not like you can compete on that ankle anyway.”

Regina looked down in horror to see her left leg encased in a stiff walking cast. Mr. Gold yanked the skate guards out of her hand and handed Regina a pair of crutches instead. “Off you go, dearie. You’re not winning this one.”

“But I can’t!” she protested to Mr. Gold’s retreating back. “I can’t walk on the ice in crutches! I can’t!”

Regina awoke, startled and covered in a thin veil of sweat. A dream. Just a dream, thank God. She took a series of deep breaths to steady herself before she risked a glance at the clock on the bedside table. She had to be up in half an hour anyway. Might as well get up now. She dragged herself to the bathroom and hopped in the shower. Tina was still snoring lightly when she returned with her hair freshly washed and styled. Regina gave the other girl a firm shake and informed her that the bathroom was all hers. There was another practice session in the morning before the competition got underway that afternoon. Regina was determined not to let her muddled mind get the better of her. She always dreamt about weird things before a competition. This time it wouldn’t be any different.

****

The short dance was the third event of the day, taking place at 8:00pm local time. Though Milwaukee was only an hour’s time difference from Detroit, Regina felt slightly dazed for most of the day. She went through the motions of eating breakfast, going to the morning practice session, eating lunch, exercising in the hotel gym, eating a light supper and taking the bus back to the arena. Robin sat beside her on the short bus ride. He kept alternating between keeping an eye on her and keeping an eye on Jefferson, who was sitting across the aisle a few rows ahead of them.

They split up to report to the change rooms but Robin was waiting for her when she emerged in her short dance costume. He gave her a reassuring smile and offered his arm to her like a young gentleman in a Jane Austen novel. “Would you care for an escort, milady?” he inquired with hopeful eyes.

Leave it to Robin to always set her at ease. Regina laughed lightly and linked her arm through his. “Is this something you do often? Pretend like you’re a medieval knight?” she joked as they made the trip down the hallway to the waiting area. 

“Only for my partner,” he assured her. “How are you feeling?”

Regina was noncommittal. “Better than I did this morning.”

Robin nodded knowingly. “I was up before dawn with a terrible stomach ache. I always get them before competition. My old sports psychologist back in England said it was psychosomatic.”

“I always have bad dreams before a competition,” Regina admitted. “I’m pretty sure it’s psychosomatic too.”

Robin reached over with his free hand and gave her hand a squeeze. “We’re quite a pair, aren’t we?”

“A pair of headcases,” she retorted.

Robin tilted his head thoughtfully. “At least we got the nerves out of our system at practice.”

They arrived in the holding area, which was mercifully empty for the moment. Ursula and John rushed in to fuss over them, adjust their costumes and ply them with water and tissues. The other skaters in the first group trickled in as the announcer introduced the judges and the technical panel. 

Regina glanced up at the nearly-full arena and shivered again. This was a much bigger venue than the one in Salt Lake. The audience was bigger too. She could see people shifting nervously in their seats waiting for the event to begin. She found herself shifting from foot to foot as well as she did her warmup stretches. 

Robin leaned over and placed a hand on the small of her back. “Hey,” he whispered. “You’re fine. We’re going to be great.”

The announcer called their names for the five minute warmup and there was a mad scramble to be the first on the ice. Regina held tight to Robin’s hand as they took their first lap. The pop music on the stereo prevented them from hearing the audience’s cheers as each team’s names were announced. If you could block the audience out completely, it was just like a practice session. Or a dress rehearsal in full costume and makeup.

“We’re going to be fine,” Robin said as they moved into hold and practiced their new partial step sequence. 

“We’re going to be fine,” Regina echoed as they flew around the corner on the edges of their skate blades. And somehow, deep inside, she knew they would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to three very kind people on Tumblr who helped a poor Canadian out with American geography. Thank you broadwaybaggins, joym13 and treasureplanetsheep!


	7. The Free Dance

The short dance passed by in the blur of sound and colour. Regina and Robin competed first and with the pressure off, they bought some snacks at the concession stand and seated themselves in a vacant area of the stands to watch the rest of the competition.

Guinevere Troyes and her partner Lancelot DuLac of France were one of the teams that caught Regina’s eye. They were both good-looking and they made a very striking pair on the ice as they skated music from the soundtrack of the live-action Cinderella movie. Alice and Jefferson skated to the Masquerade Waltz and earned the highest score of the competition, but Regina didn’t care for their program. It was well choreographed and well skated, but it lacked the emotional connection that Regina had felt when she watched Guinevere and Lancelot skate. Robin was similarly unimpressed.

“Their technique is sound, but I didn’t feel as if they connected to the music as much as the French couple did,” Robin remarked afterward as they were leaving the auditorium. “What did you think?”

“Generic to the nth degree,” Regina said with a shake of her head. “I would never be caught dead skating to a program that boring. Flawless technique or not.” Suddenly she felt a lot less threatened by Alice. The girl was as graceful as a ballerina but that was about all she had going for her.

Robin grinned conspiratorially. “Suddenly poor Juliet doesn’t seem so blah, does she?” he teased.

“Juliet just needed a little fire,” Regina reasoned. “I’ve come around to the concept. I think tomorrow is going to go well.”

“I think so too,” Robin agreed. It was liberating to be the first to skate and have the opportunity to watch your competitors with relative ease. Tomorrow would be different: their scores after the short dance were enough to put them in fourth place overall, which meant they’d be skating first in the second group tomorrow. “Would you like to grab a bite to eat, or would you rather head back to the hotel and turn in for the night?” he asked her. The words were barely out of his mouth before he noticed she was stifling a yawn. Ah. He had his answer. His partner needed her beauty rest. Robin gallantly escorted her back to her hotel room and wished her pleasant dreams. 

As he tried to fall asleep, Robin replayed the events of the day in his head. His talk with Jefferson had not gone the way he’d expected. The idea of Jefferson that Robin had been carrying around in his head did not match up at all with the quiet young man he’d encountered yesterday and today. Even though he’d seen Regina compete with Jefferson, Robin had a hard time picturing them together. Regina must have been the boss in the partnership because he doubted a man so mild-mannered could keep up with woman like Regina.

His mind drifted to some of the other teams. He’d enjoyed Guinevere and Lancelot’s program but he’d found their behaviour in the Kiss n Cry even more interesting. The skaters had been leaning quite close to one another before their coach came in and sandwiched himself between them. The skaters had both looked perturbed and unhappy about the intrusion. It made Robin feel grateful that he was on better terms with his coaches. As for Jefferson and Alice… Robin had been impressed by their technique but underwhelmed by their program. The pair looked good together but they lacked the extra special “it” factor that made some teams appear to be more special than others. 

After replaying the competition in his mind, Robin’s thoughts drifted back toward Regina. He always thought he’d hit the jackpot skating with Marian, but Regina was unlike anyone he’d ever known. To come back from the injury she had and still be able to skate was nothing short of miraculous. But it was more than that. She had a good ear for music and perfect rhythm and timing. She was driven and competitive without being consumed by it. She was strong and brave and breathtakingly beautiful…

Was he falling for her?

Suddenly Robin was wide awake.

Robin Locksley had always prided himself on being a professional. He believed that the job of a male partner in a dance team was to be both the lead and the support for the lady. His job was to present his partner and make her the focus without letting her presence on the ice overpower his own. He’d always been able to do that because he was sensible enough to put his partnerships before his feelings.

But his feelings always seemed to come back to haunt him. He’d fallen for Marian too, at least for a time. Marian, for her part, had been dating someone else and Robin had kept his distance because it was the right thing to do. Eventually he found himself getting over her and then, just when he thought he was over her, she’d broken up with her trashbag boyfriend. He should have been happy about it, but it only made him feel miserable. They went out on a few dates after that, but the spark he’d always longed for never appeared. They both wanted different things out of life: he wanted to keep skating and make a run for the Olympics while Marian wanted to retire from competition and go back to University. 

The entire experience had left him wondering if he’d really been in love with her or if he just liked the idea of falling for his skating partner. It was an easy mindset to get into. When you skate and train every day, you only spend time with other people who are skating and training. You fall for those people because you have common interests and goals. But when you arrive at a crossroads in your career and someone wants to quit, suddenly you have nothing in common anymore. 

Robin closed his eyes and let sleep take him by degrees. It was too early to say if he felt anything more than the expected level of fondness for his partner. He needed to get to know her better first. Not just on the ice, but off it as well. He needed to know if there was enough to maintain anything more than friendship over the long term. 

But before that, he needed to know if she was even interested.

So Robin pushed the thoughts aside and drifted into a deep restful sleep. He awoke in the morning with fresh determination, eager to get on with the second phase of the competition. He was able to get to the stadium on time to see Tina Kerr’s bronze medal free program to “Imaginaerum” by Nightwish. The petite blonde wowed the audience with her eccentric style and high flying jumps. 

Jefferson avoided Robin in the dressing room today – good riddance, Robin thought. Rather than dwell on it, Robin took the opportunity to congratulate Lancelot for his second-place skate the day before. “Regina and I were both very impressed by your program,” he said to the other young man. “You did an exemplary job.”

Lancelot was complimentary in return. “You and Regina were quite impressive as well,” he said without a trace of any hostility. “Good luck in the free dance,” he added as they shook hands. 

“Good luck to you too,” Robin echoed, and he meant it. Lancelot and Guinevere were only two points behind Alice and Jefferson in the standings. Two points was a lot to make up in ice dance, but there was still a slim chance that the French team would rise up to overtake their American rivals. It was bound to be a close race either way.

Robin met up with a tense-looking Regina in the waiting area. She was frantically dabbing concealer under her eyes while Ursula held up a mirror. “I look exhausted in the high-def pictures from yesterday,” Regina lamented as she smoothed out her makeup with a little brush. “Whoever invented high-definition cameras should be made to post pictures of their own pasty faces next to every unflattering picture they take.”

“I will personally hunt them down and flog them,” Ursula said with a roll of her eyes. “Will that be all, your majesty?”

Regina squinted at the mirror. “That should cover it.” Ursula nodded and stepped back. 

Robin stepped forward in her place. “Between you and me, I happen to think you look stunning, milady.”

Regina pretended to scoff at him but she was fighting off a little smile that gave her true emotions away. And she did look stunning in her soft purple free dance dress. Her makeup was subtle: a bit of neutral shimmer on her eyes, light blush and soft pink lips. It was the perfect look for a young Juliet. Robin felt almost shabby by comparison. His coaches had convinced him to do away with his facial hair to play Romeo, but he feared he would never look as well coiffed as his gorgeous partner.

The warmup group was announced and the skaters took to the ice. Regina and Robin did their usual first lap in hand-to-hand hold – it was becoming a ritual for them now – before doing a quick run-through of one of their trickier pieces of footwork. The other teams whizzed around them, showing off their best tricks. Alice and Jefferson were working on their twizzles. They had perfect timing and unison, much to Regina’s chagrin. Guinevere and Lancelot practiced a scary-looking new lift and the third team in the group, a Russian pair they’d never seen before, did run-throughs of their spin. 

Robin blocked them all out and focussed his attention completely on Regina. She didn’t seem as nervous today as she’d been in Salt Lake City, but her eyes kept darting over Robin’s shoulder to check out the other teams. He could feel the tension in her shoulders growing as the warmup went on. That would never do. They were the first to skate in this group and they couldn’t afford to feel tense going into the free. Tension led to tightening up, and tightening up led to stiff skating and lower marks. He needed to put her at ease.

“Regina,” he whispered in her ear. “Look at me for a moment.”

Regina wrenched her eyes away from Alice and turned the full force of her dark gaze on Robin. He was momentarily overcome by the fear in her brown eyes that he forgot what he wanted to say. “They don’t matter right now,” he whispered, sounding more certain than he felt. “What matters is us and the program we’re about to skate. All we can do is perform to the best of our ability and let the judges decide.”

“I know,” she whispered back. “But that doesn’t make it any easier.”

“If this sport were easy, more people would be doing it,” Robin pointed out and finally Regina smiled a little. There. That was the face he needed to see. “Come on, milady. Let’s see a bit of that Juliet fire.”

Regina rolled her neck and put on her game face. When she wanted to, Regina had the unique ability to project a dangerous smirking half-smile that was guaranteed to make the competition stop dead in their tracks and rethink their life choices. Robin had developed a certain immunity to it. In fact, Regina’s game face did the dual task of making them both look more confident than they felt. Lately he’d developed a smirk of his own, always accompanied by a look of pride for his partner. They could do this. They were going to be great.

The warmup ended and the other teams left the ice. Regina and Robin circled around each other a few more times as the announcer called their names and they moved into their back-to-back starting position. They both breathed in and out in unison. Regina’s shoulders bumped up against Robin’s back and he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze of encouragement. “Don’t forget to breathe into the first step sequence,” he reminded her.

“Don’t forget to breathe on the twizzles,” she whispered in return as the music started.

****

From that moment on the program unfolded in a four-minute blur. Regina extended her arms and turned gracefully to face Robin. Her hands met and they skated a few elegant steps around each other before moving into the spin. It was unorthodox to start a dance program with a spin, but it worked. The audience applauded appreciatively and the judges took note of the number of rotations and the arch of Regina’s spine when she moved into an elegant layback position.

The rest of the elements unfolded one by one. First came the circular step sequence – a series of sweeping turns and changes of hold that accented the notes of the music. Then the first of the lifts, with Regina balancing the flat surface of her skate blade on Robin’s thigh while she posed above him. The dreaded twizzles went perfectly this time, much to the relief of the skaters and the coaches. Regina was so relieved she almost missed the cue for the next lift.

But Robin wasn’t one of the best partners on the sport for nothing. He maneuvered Regina into the next lift with such precision that she barely knew it was happening before he was already setting her down again. She thanked her lucky stars for her partner’s strength and timing as they moved into the second step sequence. This one was a little trickier. There was a particular quick turn that would have been so much easier to execute before her injury. Sensing her uncertainty, Robin picked up the pace ever so slightly and helped lead her around the turn. She gave his shoulder a quick pat in thanks as they changed hold again. There were still two more lifts to get through and she wanted him to know she was okay.

“You’re doing beautifully, milady,” he reassured her as the step sequence ended. “We’re nearly there.”

The third lift was the risky new rotational lift. Regina had to hook both of her arms over Robin’s upper right arm and grab the blade of her right skate while he moved in a counter-clockwise pattern across the ice. If they didn’t get the timing just right, the judges would notice. It also carried the risk of Regina cutting her hand on the skate blade if she didn’t grab it in the right place. Fortunately for both of them, she did.

As exhilarating as the rotational lift felt, Regina was always happy to have both blades back on the ice after it was done. There were a few more linking steps and moves before the final lift, so Regina threw herself into them with reckless abandon. She tried to imagine she was really Juliet and her lover was in danger. The audience responded to her passionate performance with another swell of applause as Robin caught her again and took her up into the final lift. The program ended with him on one knee and her resting in his arms.

Robin’s lips were moving but Regina couldn’t hear a word he was saying over the roar of the audience. She looked up in shock to see that a few people were standing. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and pushed herself to her feet. Instinctively she reached out to find Robin’s hand only to discover he was already reaching for hers. She smiled with relief and they skated forward to take their bows. A sea of American flags waved in the audience as the skaters left the ice and the next team took their place.

Regina’s hands were shaking as she struggled to put on her skate guards. Ursula and John were murmuring words of encouragement beside her and Robin had a hand on Regina’s back to hold her steady. She allowed herself to be shepherded to the Kiss n Cry and once she sat down she felt as if she could sit there for hours. Robin slid in beside her and patted her hand. “You were brilliant,” he whispered. 

For once she didn’t hold back from praising him in return. “So were you.”

All that was left to do was wait for the marks. The Russian team on the ice were skating around, impatiently waiting for their turn. The judges had been taking their time with the marks after every couple competed. Ursula suspected that today’s technical controller was one of the stricter ones.

A pair of little girls in skating dresses came to the booth with presents that had been thrown onto the ice for the skaters. Regina smiled at them as she accepted a bouquet of flowers and a pair of plush teddy bears. The flower girls were always so cute and star struck by the grown-up skaters. Many years ago, Regina herself had handed out flowers and presents to one of her skating idols and had been rewarded with a hug and an autograph. She thanked the girls and gave one of the teddy bears to Robin. “You always have to share with your partner,” she said shrewdly. The girls nodded solemnly and scampered off.

Robin watched them go with a wistful smile of his own. “I never knew you had a soft spot for children,” he teased, giving her a playful little nudge with his knee. “They seem to be quite taken with you,” he added.

“When I was recovering from my injury, I picked up some extra work helping coach the little ones at the skating club,” she told him. “They’re always so happy and eager to learn. I enjoyed working with them a lot.” And she had. It had been a comfort to know that she could still contribute to the sport, even with her injury. If she hadn’t been able to compete again, Regina imagined she would have taken up coaching full-time. Perhaps she still would whenever her competitive career ended.

“I used to help out with my local rink’s Learn to Skate program,” Robin said. “John said it was a good thing for the young boys learning to skate to have a male role model to look up to since there aren’t a lot of men in the sport. He even called them my Merry Men.”

That’s too adorable for words, Regina reflected. He had such a way with people that she could easily imagine those cute kids in their little skates following Robin around like the pied piper. 

The announcer’s voice cut into her thoughts and everyone in the Kiss n Cry sat up straight and waved to the camera as the marks came up. Regina heard the number 90 before the audience broke into applause again, drowning out the rest of the mark. Robin gestured frantically to the screen and Regina’s mouth fell open. Their score for the free dance was 91.87!

“Oh my God!” She couldn’t help exclaiming as the audience continued to clap for them. Their score today was a full two points higher than their score in Salt Lake City! Regina and Robin stood up in unison and waved to the crowd again. Then Ursula and John hustled them off backstage to deconstruct what had just happened.

“You still need to get that turn in the second step sequence right, but that was excellent!” Ursula said. “We’re going to need to look at the protocols though. I’m not sure if the judges liked that second lift.”

“The twizzles were perfect this time though!” John added. “Now we just need to get you to do them that way every time.”

Once their coaches were done breaking the routine down into a play-by-play, Regina and Robin were finally left alone. They eyed each other nervously for a minute before acquiescing into a friendly hug. They hadn’t developed a protocol regarding physical contact off the ice yet, but a hug felt like the right thing to do in the moment. 

“Shall we watch the rest from the monitor backstage?” Robin suggested. He was playing self-consciously with the little hat his bear was wearing. 

“Yes please,” Regina agreed. “I want to see what that Russian team has got to offer.”

They crowded into the viewing area with a group of other couples who had competed earlier. The skaters were all chatting frantically with each other and one of the girls from the lower-ranked Canadian team waved them over. “You just missed it!” she breathed. “The Russians tripped going into their spin!”

Regina gasped. “Did they fall?”

The girl shook her head. “No, but they botched the whole element. The technical panel probably won’t even count it.”

Regina stepped back and started to do the math in her head. If a level four spin had a base value of 5.6 points before the grade of execution mark was factored in, the Russians had just left a lot of points on the table. They’d had a lead over Regina and Robin going into the free dance, but losing that many points could mean Regina and Robin were now in contention for a medal.

It was never a pleasant thing to win by default because someone else screwed up. Regina, being the seasoned competitor that she was, preferred to win by clawing her way to the top through hard work and discipline without standing on other people’s failure. Guilt started to claw away at her, but when the marks came up, the scores were even lower than she expected. There must have been another flaw in the Russian team’s program that no one had noticed. Or maybe Regina and Robin’s free dance was already better even without the mistake. Either way, they wouldn’t know until the detailed marks breakdown was published.

Regina turned her critical eye on the last two teams to compete. Guinevere and Lancelot were skating a very modern program to a medley of songs by Woodkid. It was a riskier choice, but they pulled it off beautifully with their natural musicality and showmanship. Alice and Jefferson’s free dance to “Canto Della Terra” captured Regina’s attention much more than their short dance did. The music was very powerful and the skaters seemed to relate to it with an ease that they didn’t have in their short dance. She was also impressed by the intricacy of the choreography. As creative as Guin and Lancelot’s program was, she couldn’t deny that Alice and Jefferson’s was more difficult to execute. But she wasn’t envious. Alice and Jefferson had one great program and one boring one. Regina and Robin had two good programs. Things would even out in time. 

After the last team skated and the marks were announced, Regina and Robin were hustled back to the holding area to wait for the medal ceremony. Guinevere waved them over to where she stood with Lancelot. “Congratulations!” Guinevere gushed as she hugged them both. “Your free dance was beautiful,” she added. Regina detected a thin veil of jealousy in the other girl’s voice but Guinevere seemed secure enough in her team’s superiority for the moment, so Regina chose to ignore it.

“I enjoyed your free dance too,” she said to Guinevere, loudly enough that Lancelot and the others would overhear.

“As did I,” Robin spoke up. “Very unorthodox music choice as well.”

Lancelot and Guinevere exchanged triumphant glances. “We’ve been begging our coach to skate to Woodkid for the last three years, ever since I heard his music on Teen Wolf,” Lancelot admitted. “We finally wore him down.”

Regina snuck a glance back at Lancelot and Guinevere’s coach. He was wearing an expression of mixed pride and disapproval. There was something about the man that was bothering her but she couldn’t put a finger on what it was. She didn’t even have a good reason for why she felt that way. It was just the vibe she got from him. Something about his demeanour and the way he carried himself said, “Stay away, I’m a massive creep.” Regina frowned and turned away.

Robin seemed to sense Regina’s reluctance because he stepped closer to her and placed a protective hand on her back. “Are you alright, Regina? It’s not Jefferson, is it?” he said in an undertone.

“I’ll tell you later,” she whispered back. The medal ceremony was starting.

Regina had been to many medal ceremonies in her career, but the last time she and Robin had stood on a podium together was after she beat him at Junior Worlds and she’d been standing a step above him. Every medal ceremony had the same routine: the first place team skated out, took a bow at centre ice, skated over to the podium platform and took their place of honour. Guinevere and Lancelot, the silver medalists went next, then it was Robin and Regina’s turn.

Robin smiled and took Regina’s hand as they skated to centre ice together. They bowed in unison (their coaches had made them practice that too) and skated over to the podium. It was customary for the skaters to take a moment to congratulate their fellow medal winners. Jefferson made a move to hug Regina but she didn’t hug back and he released her quickly. Robin and Jefferson shook hands, deftly avoiding each other’s gazes as Regina and Alice engaged in a quick loose hug that ended a split second after it began. Their interactions with Lancelot and Guinevere were also brief but twice as genuine. After everyone was on the podium, the skaters were each presented with their medals and bouquets of flowers. Then the press swarmed in to take photos and the skaters were sent off on their victory lap. 

“Now do you want to tell me what was bothering you?” Robin said in Regina’s ear as they left the ice surface.

Regina waited until they were safely down the hall and out of earshot. “Did you see Guin and Lancelot’s coach earlier?”

Robin nodded. “Yes. He looked rather perturbed, didn’t he? Do you suppose he was upset that his team didn’t win?”

“Not exactly.” Regina took another look around to make sure no one was nearby who could overhear. “I think he’s upset that his team have developed minds of their own. Did you hear what Guin said earlier about how they had to beg to use that music? All this time I’ve been complaining about skating to Romeo and Juliet when we could have had it so much worse. We’re lucky to have coaches that support us.”

“We are lucky,” Robin agreed. “I certainly count myself lucky every day knowing that I get to compete with a partner like you,” he added slyly.

Was he flirting with her or was he just being nice? Regina wasn’t certain anymore. But his kind words made her smile, regardless of their intent. “You’re a pretty good partner too,” she admitted. “And now we have another pair of medals to show for it.” She picked hers up from where it had been resting on her chest and gave it a little wave for emphasis. 

Robin laughed and clinked his medal against hers. “Mills and Locksley: Skate America 2015 bronze medalists. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“It does,” Regina agreed. “We may have only been assigned to one Grand Prix event, but we sure as hell made the most of it.”

Robin smiled and folded her into a tight hug. “We sure as hell did, milady.”


	8. Off The Ice

With the competition over, the skaters finally got to relax and enjoy themselves on Sunday. There was an exhibition gala in the afternoon and Robin and Regina got to show off their brand new non-competitive show program to Hozier’s “Take Me to Church”. The competition wrapped up with a closing banquet in the conference room of a nearby hotel. Robin enjoyed closing banquets. It gave him a chance to put on his best clothes and enjoy the company of his rivals in a non-competitive environment. But this banquet would be unlike any other he ever attended. It was his first banquet with his new partner and he wanted everything to go by the book. He even had a new dress shirt for the occasion – blue to bring out his eyes – and a sharp tie, tailored trousers and shiny dress shoes to set it off. After a light splash of woodsy cologne, he reported promptly to Regina’s hotel room door to escort her to the banquet.

When she opened the door, Robin’s breath caught in his throat. You would think that seeing her at the rink every day in her workout clothes with her hair tied back would be enough to render him immune to her beauty, but that was not the case. Even without makeup, her natural beauty always shone through. And now, in a slinky black dress and perfect cateye makeup, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She’d styled her hair so it fell in loose waves around her shoulders and her high heels put her almost on eye level with him. She was a vision and all he could do was gape at her like a lovestuck schoolboy.

Regina was very amused. “Are you going to stare at me all night, or can we go?” she asked, rousing him from his thoughts. 

“Erm… yes,” he managed to say. He offered her his arm and they strolled to the elevator at a leisurely pace, with Robin sneaking glances at her every few seconds. “You look lovely,” he said once the doors slid closed, but he immediately regretted his choice of words. Lovely didn’t even begin to cover it. 

Regina was jovial now that the competition was over. “You clean up quite nicely yourself,” she said. Was that a hint of flirtation in her voice, Robin wondered? “And we’ll be just on time too. I’d hate to be late and get stuck at a table with Jefferson.”

“Indeed,” he agreed with a nervous chuckle. “That would be… most unfortunate.” Truth be told, he hadn’t given the matter much thought. At any rate, any thoughts he’d been having a few minutes ago had vanished upon the sight of his stunning partner in her evening gown. Suddenly all other thoughts seemed utterly irrelevant.

The elevator reached its destination and they found the conference room already filling up with skaters. They lost track of each other at the buffet and Robin spied Jefferson approaching Regina with a look of mixed trepidation and determination on his face. Even from across the room Robin could see Regina’s shoulders tense up and her back go rigid. But then she caught Robin’s eye and gave him a look that clearly said, “Don’t come over here. I’ve got this handled.”

As perturbed as she was, Regina couldn’t help noticing that Jefferson had worn a particularly spiffy tie this evening. It helped to focus on little details like that. It made her feel less inclined to smack her ex-partner in the face. “What do you want?” she hissed, once Jefferson had guided her to a secluded corner where they couldn’t be overheard. “Are you going to ask me for my phone number? I assume you must have lost it since you haven’t called me in over a year.”

Jefferson flinched when she spoke and took his time answering. “I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me again after Snow spilled the beans about Alice,” he murmured. “That last message you left me made things pretty clear.”

Regina grimaced at the memory of the angry, expletive-filled voicemail she’d left on Jefferson’s cell phone. It had not been one of her more refined moments. “I was being weaned off my pain medication,” she admitted. “I said a lot of things to a lot of people that I regret saying.”

“And now?” he implored. “How’s your ankle now?”

Regina made a noncommittal gesture with her hands. “Not as elastic as it once was, but I get by. It’s good enough to compete on and that’s all that matters.” Jefferson looked visibly relieved by this news and Regina couldn’t resist getting one last jab in. “Of course having a supportive partner helps,” she added with a vicious sneer. “I thought Robin hated me after we beat him at Junior Worlds. But he’s been far kinder and more patient with me than you’ve been. Ever since we were paired up as teenagers, I always thought you were a better skater than me. But now I know that being a better skater has nothing to do with being a better partner.”

Giving Jefferson a piece of her mind had been something she’d been longing to do for months. But now, seeing the pained look on his face, the victory felt hollow. There was nothing more to say. No closure. Just hurt feelings and a rift that would never heal. Regina turned on her heel and left Jefferson stranded in the corner, making a beeline for where Robin waited for her at the buffet. 

“Did you say what you wanted?” Robin asked gently as he handed her a plate.

“What I wanted and more,” she whispered. “But it didn’t make me feel any better.”

Robin watched as Regina loaded up her plate. She took a healthy helping of salad with only a light splash of vinaigrette, but she added a sizeable pile of sweet potato fries for good measure as well. “Time heals all wounds,” he said wisely as he made his own selections. “I still think I got the better deal in the breakup of your previous partnership.”

Regina eyed him shrewdly. “Well, you did end up with the Ice Queen. But the chess match isn’t over yet. If we play our cards right, I’m confident we’ll end up beating them one day. Maybe not this year, but ice is slippery. Anything can happen.”

Robin was inclined to agree. But for now he wanted to put the competition aside. Tina had commandeered a table right next to the stage and she made sure to flag down enough people to fill it, thereby forcing Jefferson and Alice to sit elsewhere. The rest of the evening passed in an amiable blur of engaging conversation, good food and grandiose speeches from the sponsors of the event. The skaters all went to bed happy and well-fed at the end of the evening. 

The plane ride back to Detroit the next day was uneventful. Robin and Regina had a rare two days off from training to recover from the rigours of competition. After a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast, Robin did a light workout at the local gym and headed home to relax. He and John had acquired lodging at a small apartment down the street from the townhome unit Regina shared with Tina and Snow. As Robin settled in to get caught up on some television shows he’d missed, his thoughts turned to his partner once again. What did she get up to on her days off? He wondered. Did she like to relax, or did she like to go out and do something? Did she enjoy shopping? Going to the movies? Spending time with friends? He felt guilty that in all the months they’d trained together there was still so much he didn’t know about her. The guilt was accompanied by a strong desire to learn more.

So he texted her: “Hope you’re enjoying your day off! See you bright and early tomorrow.” He debated adding an emoji to the message but his nimble finders had fired it off automatically before he had a chance.

There was no time to fret because she texted back right away:

Regina: I actually took a nap in the middle of the afternoon! It was beautiful. What are you up to today?

He hadn’t expected her to text back so quickly. Giddy with relief, he responded to her message in kind:

Robin: just relaxing and catching up on some telly. And you?

Regina: pretty much the same. Tink and I are about to binge-watch Orphan Black!

Robin: oh, have fun! I’ve heard it’s good.

Regina: do you want to come over and watch it with us?

Robin’s fingers hesitated on the screen. He didn’t want to intrude on their day off, but he didn’t want to turn down such an enticing offer either. And he had been meaning to watch Orphan Black anyway. 

Robin: you don’t mind me tagging along?

Regina: not at all. David is here anyway and he’s feeling outnumbered.

Ah. So he wasn’t being singled out for any special honour. That was a relief. And he wanted to get to know Snow’s partner better anyway.

Robin: sounds good! I’ll be there soon.

Though perhaps not too soon, he added to himself. He was still wearing his sweatpants. After a quick trip to the bathroom to wash up and change into jeans and a clean shirt, Robin made a detour to the corner store to pick up some healthy snacks before he headed to the townhouse. Tina let him in with an enthusiastic show of thanks. “You brought the healthy popcorn!” she crowed. “We should have you over more often,” she added suggestively.

“I’m honoured for the invitation,” he said as Tina helpfully relieved him of his shopping bag and carried it into the kitchen. “You must be David,” he added to the handsome youth who stood next to Snow in the living room. 

“And you must be Robin!” David said as the two men shook hands. “It’s great to finally meet Regina’s partner.”

“Regina’s partner who came bearing gifts!” Tink piped up as she popped into the room balancing three bowls of popcorn. “I told you he was a keeper,” she called over her shoulder as Regina stepped into the room.

She didn’t look any less beautiful in her casual wear, Robin noted. Today Regina was wearing a soft gray sweater that hung off her left shoulder and a pair of distressed jeans. They smiled greetings at each other from across the room and Robin tried not to let his eyes linger for too long on her exposed shoulder. In the mad scramble for space on the couches, Robin ended up sandwiched between Tink and Regina while Snow and David curled up together on the loveseat. 

“Aren’t they nauseatingly cute together?” Tink whispered to Robin in reference to Snow and David as Regina cued up the DVD. 

“They make a lovely couple,” Robin said diplomatically. He pointedly sampled a handful of the popcorn so he didn’t have to say anything else. Regina hit play on episode one and the group of five jumped into the fast-paced world of Orphan Black.

For the next three hours, Robin barely breathed. The plot of the show moved at a brisk pace and no one was eager to get up and refill the snack bowls for fear of missing an important scene. After three episodes, hunger won out and David convinced everyone to take a break to make dinner and digest everything they’d witnessed so far. 

“Did you notice Felix was listening to the Habanera from Carmen while he was painting?” Snow squealed. “That must have brought back memories for you.” She gave Regina a nudge with her hip.

Regina narrowed her eyes and gave Snow the death glare. “I’m so sick of Carmen. I can’t believe that’s the one detail you picked up on.”

Snow sighed tragically. “You’re no fun anymore.”

“Yes, because being reminded of my ex-partner in front of my new partner is super fun.”

“For the record,” Robin spoke up, “I always enjoyed your Carmen program. But you’re right. That music, while excellent, is overused now.”

“Don’t talk to us about overused – we’re skating to the Gone with the Wind soundtrack this year,” David chimed in. 

“But I like Gone with the Wind!” Snow protested as everyone else dissolved into laughter. The poor girl looked very distressed.

Robin had an idea. “And if you could skate to any music in the world – without fear of being downgraded by the judges – what would you choose?” Robin challenged. He was still thinking about how Lancelot and Guinevere had begged their coach to skate to music of their choosing. He was curious to know what everyone else would pick if they had complete creative control.

“Bon Jovi,” David said without hesitation. Snow looked vaguely horrified.

Tink had her answer prepared. “Kerli. “Walking on Air” is my jam.” 

“You know mine already: Florence and the Machine,” Regina added. “What about you, Snow?”

Snow looked discomfited. She mumbled something unintelligible under her breath and avoided everyone’s gaze.

Regina raised an eyebrow. “What was that? Come on, Snow. It can’t be more embarrassing than Bon Jovi.”

“Hey!” David protested.

Snow’s cheeks turned pink and she continued to stare at the floor. “I want to skate to an Abba medley.” 

It was David’s turn to look horrified.

“What about you, then?” Regina said to Robin. “You never told us your choice.”

“I don’t rightly know,” he admitted. “I’ve always been a fan of The Beatles.”

“Don’t I know it. We came this close to doing our pattern dance to “Norwegian Wood”,” Regina recalled with a laugh.

“In my defense,” Robin cut in after the laughter had died down, “it was the first song I ever learned to play on the guitar. So it’s very special to me.”

“I had no idea you played!” Regina exclaimed. “My mom shoved me into piano lessons when I was a kid.”

“Did she?” By the tone of Regina’s voice, Robin could tell exactly how well those lessons had gone. 

Regina grimaced. “My instructor said I was a natural. But I hated practicing. I didn’t want to sit in front of a boring old piano. I wanted to ride horses and skate.”

“You were a horsey girl too?” Robin could picture it in his mind’s eye: a younger Regina, brushing her horse’s mane before saddling him up and taking him for a trot around the ring. The mental picture of her in a cute riding uniform made him smile.

“She was a horse nerd!” Snow exclaimed. “We took lessons at the same stable growing up. That’s how we met.”

“The skating came later,” Regina elaborated. “My parents couldn’t afford to keep me in two pricey hobbies. I was better at skating than I was at show jumping, so that’s what I chose. I still like to ride recreationally though,” she added wistfully.

“That’s what she said,” David joked and everyone groaned. Snow smacked David on the arm and looked scandalized.  
It was an old joke, but Regina’s cheeks still turned red. “In your dreams, Prince Un-Charming.”

Robin, wanting to defuse the situation, leaned in and whispered to her, “I guess he gives love a bad name.”

This time everyone laughed at David’s expense and Regina gave Robin a grateful look. “He’s always saying dumb things,” she said in an undertone to Robin while everyone was getting their dinner plates together. “I don’t know why Snow puts up with him.”

“I’m sure he’s a very supportive partner,” Robin guessed. In the few hours that he’d seen them together, he’d noticed Snow and David’s easy way with each other. Even when they disagreed on music choices, the disappointment had evaporated within minutes. They had a rapport that many skaters would be envious of. A rapport that Robin hoped to develop with Regina.

“He is supportive,” Regina agreed as they reclaimed their place on the couch. “I practically paired them up, you know. I like to think I can take a bit of credit for their success.”

“You have a good eye – they appear to be well-matched,” Robin said. 

Regina looked pleased with herself. “I like to think I have a good eye for that sort of thing.”

“And what do your instincts say about us – are we a good match?”

Regina set her plate on the coffee table and gave him a serious look. “You wouldn’t be here right now if I didn’t think we were a good match. I would have booked your flight back to England myself.”

Her bluntness did not put him off. On the contrary, Robin was grateful for her honesty. “In that case, I’m honoured you would deem me worthy, milady.”

Regina sighed and reclined back against the couch cushions. “Enough with this milady business. You know I prefer Regina.”

“Regina,” he echoed. He liked the sound of her name. Maybe he’d only been calling her milady because he enjoyed saying the name Regina too much. Was this how Tony in West Side Story felt when he first met Maria and couldn’t stop saying her name? He’d always found Tony immensely dumb for falling so easily. But here, sitting on the sofa with Regina and saying her name as reverently as a devoted worshiper, he could understand where Tony was coming from.

****

They watched another four episodes of Orphan Black that evening. Robin nodded off at some point during episode seven, only to be jolted awake by a noise in the kitchen sometime later. His eyes darted around in confusion to locate the source of the noise. It was late – well past his usual bedtime – and everyone else was gone.

“Sorry,” someone whispered from behind the sofa. He glanced back to see an apologetic Regina. “I was cleaning up the kitchen and one of those popcorn bowls fell off the counter.”

“Do you need a hand?” he offered. His mind was still hazy from sleep, so he was unsurprised when Regina waved him off.

“It’s late. You can sleep on the couch if you’d rather not walk home now.”

It was only a short walk, but Robin’s eyes were already falling shut again. Regina gave him a fond pat on the shoulder and headed back to the kitchen. She didn’t mind having him there. He’d been dozing peacefully before she shattered his reverie and she didn’t have the heart to turn him out into the night. The temperature had gone down and he hadn’t brought a jacket. Her partner would be of no use to her if he caught a cold or showed up to practice sleep deprived. At least that’s what she told herself as she got ready for bed. Letting Robin sleep over was for the good of the team. But in truth it was more than that. He’d only visited her home twice but he fit perfectly into their domestic picture. With David there too it felt like they were ordinary carefree young people enjoying each other’s company, doing whatever ordinary carefree young people did. It was nice to not think about training and competitions for one evening. Maybe they’d have to do this more often.

Snow’s room, which was next to Regina’s, was quiet when she came up the stairs but Regina wasn’t fooled. David and Snow had snuck off together the moment the credits rolled on episode seven. Regina knew what was up, even if she didn’t care to think about it. She hadn’t dated anyone since breaking up with Daniel and she certainly didn’t need to hear any evidence of Snow and David’s off-ice relationship. The mere idea that prissy princess Snow even had a sex life was something Regina still wasn’t convinced of. She probably makes him cuddle and hold hands all night, she thought as she drifted toward dreamland. No way Snow is letting him get any before he puts a ring on it.

You’re just jealous, the little voice in her head taunted her. You’ve learned to live without a boyfriend. But you still want one. And you’re worried you’ll never meet anyone if all you do is skate and train and work out all day, every day. By the time you end your career, all the good ones will be taken…

But perhaps not all the good ones. Her thoughts drifted back to the boy who was currently sleeping on her couch. After their tryout, the idea of becoming romantically involved with her partner had not been one Regina wanted to consider. She needed a partner, not a boyfriend. She had a partner now and she still didn’t need a boyfriend. She wouldn’t mind having one, but it wasn’t something she needed to make her life complete. She’d take the opportunity if it came, but it wasn’t a priority for her. Regina had learned a lot about her own self-worth during her injury. Despite the pain and sacrifice, she’d come out of it stronger and with more self-confidence than she’d possessed before. She was more comfortable in her own skin than she’d ever been in her entire life. 

But now she had a chance for more. Their Grand Prix event was over, so they wouldn’t have another competition until the US Nationals in January. There would be plenty of time to train and to get to know Robin better. 

She nodded off to sleep with these possibilities rolling around in her head. After a good night’s rest, she went about her usual morning routine on autopilot, heading down to the kitchen after a quick shower and change of clothes, to put on a pot of coffee and get a head start on breakfast. She almost forgot that Robin was still dozing on the sofa but the smell of brewing coffee brought him to his senses soon enough.

“That smells wonderful,” he murmured in a still-sleepy voice. His hair was distinctly rumpled from sleeping and he had an overall scruffiness to him that was equal parts endearing and frustrating. It made Regina itch to take him to her favourite salon for a better haircut.   
“Do you mind if I take a cup to go?” he asked ruefully as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. “I should really head home and freshen up before we go to the rink,” he added apologetically.

“Am I your personal barista now?” Regina huffed. “You can at least stay for an egg and some toast. We’re not late yet.”

Robin relented. He was still half-asleep and Regina wasn’t about to let him walk out the door without a proper breakfast. She poured them both coffees and got to work on the eggs. Robin gradually came to life as he sipped his coffee. He even helped her with the cooking once he felt more awake. Tink, Snow and David drifted in and out of the kitchen in turn, each doing their part to contribute to the breakfast buffet. They were a well-oiled domestic machine with everyone doing their part to help out.

“This was fun,” Robin said to Regina as he lingered in the doorway before leaving. “We’ll have to do it again sometime.”

“Of course we will – we still have two more seasons of Orphan Black to watch,” she pointed out.

Robin shuffled his feet. “Maybe sometime we could do something with just the two of us sometime as well. If you wanted to, that is. I do still want to get to know you better, Regina.”

Was he asking her out? Regina felt the corners of her mouth twitch into a hesitant smile. She wanted to spend time with him without her roommates and Snow’s boyfriend breathing down her neck too. “We’ll have some time on our hands in the next few months before Nationals,” she pointed out. “I’m sure we’ll get a chance to spend some time together off-ice.”

Robin smiled. “I look forward to it, milady.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Horse Nerd Regina is canon.


	9. The Second Grand Prix

Whether by fortune or cruel trick of fate, Regina and Robin’s plan to spend more time together off-ice got pushed to the sidelines. Two weeks after Skate America, the team got pulled into another conference call with Mr. Gold.

“Quite the statement you made at Skate America. Most new teams don’t win a medal at their first Grand Prix,” Mr. Gold said over the phone. “A lot of people have taken notice.”

“We were extremely grateful for the opportunity,” Robin responded. 

“We’ve taken note of what needs to be fixed and we’re training hard for Nationals,” Regina added. 

“Glad to hear you’re training hard. You’ll need it when we send you to Japan,” Mr. Gold continued.

Regina and Robin exchanged looks of panic. 

“I’m sorry, sir… did we just hear you correctly? Did you say Japan?” Ursula cut in.

“I did indeed,” Gold said. There was a smugness in his voice that Regina didn’t like. “It seems one of the teams scheduled to compete at the Japanese Grand Prix had an accident in practice a few days ago.”  
Regina’s stomach turned over. 

“Nothing serious,” Gold went on. “But they will have to withdraw from the event. And the Japanese Federation wants Mills and Locksley to take their spot.”  
This was not an uncommon occurrence. Minor injuries and illnesses caused skaters to withdraw from the Grand Prix every year. Those withdrawals created vacancies on the rosters that needed to be filled. It was sheer luck that Regina and Robin would be chosen to take one of those coveted spots. But once again, Regina felt the guilt of triumphing over someone else’s loss. Or perhaps it was karmic payback for her own injury. 

Robin didn’t see it that way. He was just grateful to have another assignment, even if it did cut into his precious off-ice time with Regina. They went back to the ice after the conference call with renewed determination. The Japanese Grand Prix was only three weeks away. Factoring in the long plane ride and time change, they would have to leave a few days early to stave off the jetlag. Ursula was already on the phone making arrangements with the airline. 

After her initial guilt wore off, Regina found herself growing excited at the prospect of competing in Japan. She had competed there once before – two years ago with Jefferson – and the audience response had been very positive. Robin was more cautious. He’d never been to Japan and this time they’d be competing against his old rivals and friends, Anastasia Tremaine and Will Scarlet.

“I feel bad that I haven’t talked to him very often since I left England,” Robin lamented to Regina as they did their off-ice dance training one afternoon a week before their scheduled departure. 

“You should text him,” Regina suggested as she practiced plies at the barre. “I’m sure he’d love to hear from you.”

Robin abandoned his routine and took out his cell phone. He fired off the following message:

Robin: looks like we’ll be competing against each other in Japan – good luck! See you there.

He resisted checking his phone again until the end of dance class. Regina was bemused. She tended to check her phone quite often, so she raced to check Robin’s when she had a free moment:

Will: thanks mate! Can’t wait to see you and your lovely new partner ;)

“He sounds adorable,” Regina said as she handed a scowling Robin his phone. “I never got to compete against Tremaine and Scarlet. Are they good?”

Robin tucked his phone in his pocket. “Will and Ana are excellent. They’ll be tough competition.”

“Swan and Jones are the favourites to win though,” Regina pointed out. “And the second-ranked Canadians, LeFay and Ambrose, are going to be there too. This won’t be an easy one for us.”

“Skate America wasn’t easy either and we managed to make the most out of it,” Robin conceded. “At any rate, it will be good to compete further from home for a change. I’ve heard the Japanese fans are very supportive.”

“At least we don’t have to face Jefferson and Alice again.” The memory of her encounter with Jefferson hadn’t been sitting well on Regina’s conscience and she still hadn’t spoken to Alice at all. No matter. She’d have it out with the girl at Nationals for sure. She needed to clear the air once and for all.

But first, they needed to get through the Grand Prix in Japan. 

Getting to Japan was an exercise in patience and conditioning. The 14-hour flight was a daunting prospect and they would only have each other for company this time, since their friends and training mates were assigned to different Grand Prix events. Snow and David got the Grand Prix of France and Tink had been sent to Russia for her second assignment. “When I said I wanted to spend more time with you, cramped together in coach on a long-ass flight wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” Regina joked as they found their seats on the plane.

Robin nodded sympathetically. “At least we get inflight movies this time.”

“And terrible airplane food,” she quipped. “At least the food in Japan will be good. I can’t wait to hunt down some proper sushi.”

“Must we have sushi? I’m rubbish with chopsticks,” Robin lamented.

“Don’t worry,” Regina reassured him. “I’ll teach you.” She found it odd that a man who was otherwise good with his hands could be a failure when it came to using chopsticks. Little did she know there was a story behind it.

Regina and Robin both took a nap after the inflight movie. Somehow Regina’s head ended up pillowed against Robin’s shoulder while she slept, though he didn’t mind. They arrived in Nagano, Japan around midday local time. Regina was in high spirits despite the time change. So far this was the second Olympic host city they’d visited. It had been a good omen in Salt Lake City and with any luck, it would be a good omen again in Nagano. 

The first practice session wasn’t until the following day, so they had time to acclimate to their new surroundings. Regina’s roommate at the official hotel was none other than Emma Swan: the female half of Swan and Jones, Regina and Robin’s direct competition. Regina wasn’t overly pleased by this arrangement, but she kept her feelings to herself. She’d beaten Swan and Jones before with Jefferson. Maybe she wouldn’t beat them with Robin their first time out, but at least she knew they were beatable. She had to focus on the long term.

Emma, for her part, made Regina feel welcome in their tiny hotel room. “I managed to smuggle in some chocolates from home,” the athletic blonde said. “I thought we could reward ourselves after the competition.”

Regina made a pointed refusal. “You eat like a child. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to sabotage me.”

Emma pretended to look shocked. “I think you know me better than that, Mills.” She returned the chocolates to the inner compartment of her suitcase. “So. Why don’t you tell me more about that cute new partner of yours,” she suggested with a conspiratorial grin. 

Regina felt herself blush ever so slightly. She didn’t enjoy being teased, regardless of who was teasing her. It grated her nerves and put her on the defensive. “Robin’s great,” she said brusquely. Emma raised an eyebrow. “He’s everything I could have asked for in a partner,” she added more thoughtfully. She might be annoyed with Emma right now, but there was no need to take it out on Robin. He’d been a good partner to her and he deserved better than a throwaway comment like that.

Emma seemed satisfied with her answer. “Good. I’m glad you found someone at your level,” she said sincerely. 

So am I, Regina added silently to herself. 

The girls didn’t talk much after that. Emma excused herself to have lunch with her partner and some friends, leaving Regina blissfully to her own devices. She ordered room service and Skyped with Tink and Snow until the time difference forced the girls back in America to go to sleep. After that, Regina watched a bit of television and texted Robin to see what he was up to.

Robin: ran into Will and Ana in the lobby. Thought we’d pop out for a bite of dinner. Wanna come?

Regina: hell yes. Be there in 10.

She was in Japan, damn it. She was going to have sushi whether Robin liked it or not.

****

“So, is she coming?” Will asked Robin.

Robin looked up from this phone and nodded. “She’s on her way.”

Will clapped Robin on the shoulder. “Well done, mate.” He grinned wolfishly.

Ana gave Will’s arm a playful slap. “Don’t forget who your partner is,” she admonished him gently before turning her attention to Robin. “I can’t wait to meet Regina. She seems lovely.”

Robin ducked his head to avoid their teasing. Ever since re-connecting with Will via text message, the two young men had been communicating non-stop and Regina had been a frequent topic of conversation.

“Ooh, there she is!” Ana exclaimed a few minutes later. She waved Regina over to where their little group was standing in the hotel lobby. Regina had the look of a deer in headlights being waved at by a stranger, but she relaxed visibly the moment she saw Robin. She picked her way through the crowd in the lobby and joined them near the check-in counter.

Robin made the introductions. “Regina, this is Anastasia Tremaine and Will Scarlet. Will, Ana… this is Regina,” he said. For a moment he’d forgotten how to breathe. It was suddenly imperative that his old friends like his new partner.

“It’s great to meet you both,” Regina said sincerely. She stepped back and to size the young couple up. They were a bit younger than her and Robin and had less of a height difference than many of the other teams. Overall they appeared to be a good match both physically and aesthetically with their complimentary body types and contrasting blonde and brown hair. There was also a suggestion in their posture and their ease with each other that they were a couple off the ice, or at least well on their way to becoming one.

“There’s a restaurant just down the street,” Will was saying.

“Japanese cuisine, of course,” Ana added. 

Regina noticed a brief flicker of fear on Robin’s face before he relented. Poor guy, she thought to herself. He must really hate chopsticks.

Perhaps by design, the restaurant Will chose also had a good selection of teriyaki dishes. Robin, looking very relieved, requested a knife and fork with his dinner.

“He wasn’t always rubbish with chopsticks,” Will whispered to Regina after they all had their food. “He used to be quite good… until the wasabi incident.”

Robin shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Must we bring that up at a time like this?” he inquired in a pained voice. 

“Doesn’t your partner deserve to know all your deep dark secrets?” Will teased before diving into the story. “It was after British Nationals in 2013. Robin cut his hand on his skate blade during the free dance, but he carried on like the seasoned competitor that he is.”

“Damn twizzles,” Ana added darkly. “People underestimate how dangerous they are.”

“Rob’s hand was all bandaged up, but he still insisted on going out to supper with us to celebrate.” Will gave Robin a little shove and earned a glare in return. “Of course the bandages made it hard to hold the chopsticks, so you can imagine how things went.”

“Let me guess: someone ended up with a hunk of wasabi in their lap. Or in their face?” Regina guessed.

“Wasabi was everywhere,” Will said gravely.

“Wasabi and soy sauce,” Ana chimed in. “It was a disaster.”

“And after that he swore to never pick up a pair of chopsticks ever again,” Will concluded. 

Robin glowered at them from across the table. “I feel perfectly justified in my refusal. Those chopsticks gave me splinters.”

Everyone was silent for a few minutes as they enjoyed their food. Regina, after contemplating this tale of woe, picked up a sushi roll with her chopsticks and offered it to Robin. “Are you sure you don’t want one? I think this one could use a little wasabi,” she said with an air of innocence.

Ana and Will howled with laughter. Even Robin chuckled a little. 

“Bloody hell,” Will managed to say between giggles. “Your partner doesn’t mess around, does she?” He punched Robin lightly on the shoulder for emphasis.

“My partner is what the Americans would refer to as a total badass,” Robin said as he gestured to Regina to set the sushi roll on his plate. “I think I will have a piece. I’ll just pass on the wasabi.” He picked the piece of sushi up with his fingers and ate it in one bite.

Robin’s dining companions glared at him, but he shrugged them off. “What? Eating with your fingers is actually traditional for this type of sushi.” 

Regina was impressed. Clearly he’d done his cultural studies homework. “You’re right. I do recall reading something about that in the travel guide.”

The rest of the evening passed in a haze of easy conversation and laughter. Regina almost forgot that she had to compete against her new friends the next day. But she found it didn’t bother her that much. She would rather be on good terms with her competitors than have to dance awkwardly around her interactions with them. It made her more determined to hash things out with Alice and to be nicer to Emma.

Ana took a picture of the group before they went back to the hotel. “This is going on Instagram,” she said excitedly as she tapped away on her phone.

“What’s your username? I’ll add you,” Regina offered. The girls exchanged contact info while Will drew Robin aside.

“She’s really something, mate,” Will said in an undertone. “I really hope this one works out for you.”

“I hope so too,” Robin responded. “I’ve grown quite fond of her.”

Will looked wolfish again. “Are you saying you’ve found a way to melt the heart of the Ice Queen?”

Robin smiled as he watched Regina and Ana talk. “Let’s just say I’m working on chipping that ice away bit by bit.”

When Regina got back to her hotel room, Emma was sitting up in bed with a book. “Hey,” Emma greeted her. She slid a bookmark between the pages and set the book down expectantly. Great, Regina thought. Now she wants to talk.

“Hey,” Regina echoed as she sat down on her bed and took off her shoes. “How was your night?”

Emma sighed happily and leaned back against her pillows. “We went to this amazing curry place and then we just wandered around for a bit afterwards and took pictures.” Emma showed Regina an image of herself, her partner and their friends Ariel and Eric posing outside of a traditional Japanese building. “What about you?” Emma asked. “What did you get up to?”

“Robin and I went out for sushi with the British dance team, Will and Anastasia. “They’re all old friends from when Robin skated for Team GB.”

“Oh yeah, I remember meeting them at the World Championships last year,” Emma recalled. “Ana’s really nice. She loaned me her extra skate guards when I lost mine.”

“Yeah, she seemed nice. I liked them both. I’m almost sorry I have to compete against them,” Regina admitted.

“Only almost sorry?” Emma joked.

“Well, it is still a competition,” Regina pointed out. “Mostly I’m just happy to be competing again. I really missed it.”

Emma nodded knowingly. “I can’t imagine what you went through with your injury. It must have been hell.”

“It certainly wasn’t pleasant,” Regina agreed. “But I made it back against the odds. I have a second chance at this game and I don’t intend to waste it.”

“That’s the spirit,” Emma said encouragingly. “Good luck at practice tomorrow.”

Regina smiled. “You too.” And she meant it this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes, I'm still bitter about Once Upon a Time in Wonderland and Scarlet Queen.


	10. Frozen Out

The practice sessions on Thursday and Friday were mostly uneventful. Regina and Robin didn’t have to compete until Saturday, so they snuck into the crowd at the arena on Friday evening to watch the ladies short program.

The highlight of the women’s event was Elsa Arendelle, an up-and-coming young skater from Norway. Elsa’s perfect jump technique put her in a precarious lead over one of the local Japanese favourites, but the audience clapped and cheered for her anyway. Japanese fans are known for being some of the most knowledgeable and most enthusiastic skating fans in the world and their warm reception to Elsa was further proof of that.

The short dance was at noon on Saturday. Even though she didn’t have to be at the arena for hours, Regina still woke up at her usual early morning time. Her roommate’s light snoring prevented her from falling asleep again, so she just lay there in the darkness and let her mind wander. There had been a moment during the second practice session when Regina had caught the edge of her blade on a rut in the ice and almost tripped. Robin was beside her in an instant to hold her up and she’d felt something in her heart jump when he caught her in his strong arms and held her steady against him. She’d skated off in shame after muttering her thanks and hadn’t been able to look him in the eye for the rest of the session.

The last thing Regina needed was to develop a crush on her partner. She’d had one on Jefferson when they first paired up and he had politely turned her down when she suggested they should go out. She’d gotten over it tolerably well and their partnership had developed into a steady friendship before her injury. But with Robin it was different. He was friendly and a bit flirtatious by nature, but he always seemed to save a bit of extra kindness for her and her alone. It made her feel special. But that wasn’t enough to build a relationship on. He was kind to her because she was his partner and he respected her. It didn’t mean that he wanted to date her.

Regina pushed the notion from her mind and got up to take a shower. She startled Emma into wakefulness when she returned and the blonde nearly fell out of bed. “God, Mills. Why do you have to be so punctual?” Emma groaned against her pillow. 

“Someone’s heavy breathing was keeping me awake,” Regina fired back. “Do you want a morning pick-me-up? There’s a coffee shop downstairs.”

“Yes please,” Emma begged as she dragged herself out of her tangle of blankets. “Black with two sugars?”

“I’m on it.”

There was already a small queue at the coffee shop despite the early hour. Regina joined it reluctantly and tried not to glower at the woman at the head of the line who was taking ages to decide on her order. It was both comforting and frustrating to know that coffee shops all over the world were much the same. Elsa stepped into line behind Regina while she was waiting and Regina congratulated her for her stellar performance the day before.

“You were on fire out there!” Regina marvelled. “I liked your choice of music too. Usually when skaters skate to Carmen, it’s Bizet’s Carmen, not Lana Del Rey’s.”

Regina’s praise made poor Elsa blush as she murmured her thanks. She looked a bit unnerved and out of sorts.

“I loved your costume too,” Regina went on. “It’s one of Mal’s designs, isn’t it?”

“It is,” the Norwegian girl confirmed. She suddenly looked a bit brighter. “Mal makes the most beautiful dresses. Did she make yours as well?” Elsa’s voice was soft and demure. Regina had been attributing Elsa’s wariness to the earliness of the hour, but now she was starting to wonder if the poor girl was just painfully shy. She probably wasn’t used to being in the spotlight. Aside from three-time Olympian Sonja Henie, Norway wasn’t known for being a major skating country. It couldn’t be easy for a shy young girl like Elsa to have all the hopes and dreams of her nation resting on her shoulders.

“Mal’s been making my costumes since I was a Junior,” Regina admitted. “She has a great eye for what will look good on the ice.”

Finally it was Regina’s turn to order. After she had her coffees, she turned to Elsa one last time and gave her a look of reassurance. “Best of luck in the free skate,” Regina said as she passed Elsa on her way out.

“You too,” Elsa said softly. She was so quiet, but there was a look of determination in her eyes that spoke volumes. Regina decided just then that she liked the shy Norwegian girl. Elsa was clearly one of those skaters who preferred to let her performances on the ice speak for her and Regina respected her for it.

Back in their shared hotel room, Emma came to life once she had that cup of coffee coursing through her system. As the girls got ready to board the bus that would take them to the arena, they chatted affably about the venue and the other skaters. Elsa’s name came up and Emma was quick to confirm Regina’s suspicions about the girl.

“She’s not much of a talker until you get to know her.” Emma vouched for her. “But she’s actually got a great sense of humour. And she’s an accomplished singer as well. A bunch of us went out to do karaoke after Worlds last season and she killed it. She could definitely have a singing career if this skating thing doesn’t work out.”

The girls ran into Robin and Emma’s partner Killian in the lobby and they all ended up walking to the shuttle bus together. Regina had always liked Killian the few times she’d met him before, but on the ice she was inclined to think Emma was the better skater of the two. Their performance in the short dance confirmed her suspicions. Killian lost his balance on the twizzles and nearly botched the entire element. But Regina enjoyed their program even with the mistake. They were skating to “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS, which was considered an unorthodox music choice despite the 3/4 tempo. Regina always appreciated teams that went outside the box.

Due to the mistake on their twizzles, Swan and Jones ended up coming in second to Tremaine and Scarlet in the short dance. Ana and Will’s upbeat routine to music from the Mary Poppins soundtrack had Regina bobbing along with the catchy rhythm while she watched from backstage. “Good thing we didn’t pick “Chim Chim Cher-ee” for the pattern dance,” she remarked to Robin. “It would have been Mary Poppins overload out there.”

At the end of the short dance, Regina and Robin found themselves in fourth place once again. The Canadian team of LeFay and Ambrose had snuck in ahead of them with their traditional program to Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty waltz. But unlike at Skate America, the scores of the top teams were very close together. It came down to less than three points separating the top four. Mills and Locksley were making up ground, little by little.

Killian’s mistake on the twizzles caused a strain in his hip, so he went off to visit the team doctor while Regina, Robin and Emma drifted back into the stands to watch the ladies’ free program. Ana and Will joined them just as Ashley Boyd, the lone American girl in the competition, took to the ice. She was a competent skater from what Regina could tell. Her upbeat program was to music from the soundtrack of The Great Gatsby and the audience responded enthusiastically to it. But she made a few little mistakes – an under-rotated jump here, a botched landing there – and her final score put her below the local Japanese favourites.

“Too bad,” Emma lamented. “I’ve seen her do that last jump perfectly in practice a hundred times.”

But being perfect in practice was much easier than being perfect in competition. Ashley Boyd wasn’t the only skater to have a rough outing that afternoon. A few of the other girls had jump issues and falls. This was the messy side of figure skating. Beneath the sparkly costumes and pretty music, there was an aspect of danger that most spectators took for granted. Regina felt physically pained whenever she witnessed a falling skater. It reminded her too much of her accident. There was one skater who took such a hard tumble on a jump that got away from her that she nearly slid into the boards.   
Regina gasped and buried her face in Robin’s shoulder. It was as if she was out there on the ice with the poor girl. She remembered slipping from Jefferson’s grasp and falling… first her backside smacked up against the unforgiving rock-hard surface of the ice and then there was the sickening crunch when her foot slammed into the boards. Then there was pain: nothing but pure, blinding agony as Jefferson screamed for a medic while Regina trembled on the ice below him. Hot tears stung in Regina’s eyes. She’d slipped back into the worst moment of her life, here in front of all these people… Emma and Ana were wide-eyed with concern and Will was holding out a tissue. 

Robin had wrapped a protective arm around Regina the moment he sensed her distress. He took the tissue from Will’s outstretched hand and gently raised Regina’s chin so he could dab the tears away. “It’s alright, milady. She’s on her feet again.” He nodded to the ice surface below where the girl who had fallen was now back up on shaky legs. 

Regina let out a nervous breath. “She fell almost just like I did,” she whispered. “I thought…”

The others crowded around Regina and started to murmur sympathetic things. Robin kept his arm around her all the while and she found herself leaning into his protective embrace. How long had she been shivering? She hadn’t even noticed before he’d pressed her up against his warm chest. So she stayed there until the poor girl finished her routine and skated stiffy off the ice to wait for her marks. Regina tried to steady her breathing and let her heartrate naturally return to normal. She caught a whiff of Robin’s soap – was that Irish Spring she was smelling? How quaint. Boys were such simple creatures. All they needed was plain old soap and 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner.   
T  
he shivering didn’t stop, so Robin tightened his hold on her. “Can I get you a coffee or a tea or something?” he whispered. 

Regina lifted her head at last. “I’d kill for something stronger. But yes. Green tea would be great. I’ve had too much coffee today as it is.”

“I’ll go,” Emma volunteered. “You guys look so cozy. I’d hate to get in the middle of that.” She gave Regina a significant look before pushing her way out of their row and heading for the concession stand.

Regina straightened up in her seat and glanced guiltily at Robin. He still had his arm around her shoulders but the moment of comfort between them had broken. He started to pull away, but she caught his arm. “It’s okay,” she murmured. “I don’t mind.”

Robin looked visibly relieved. He kept his arm around her for the rest of the competition, even after Emma returned with Regina’s tea. Kira Yukimura, one of the Japanese skaters, wowed the crowd with her energetic Riverdance program and Regina felt herself start to relax again. But then it was Elsa’s turn and Regina felt herself tense up again. Elsa took up her opening pose with her head down and her hands clasped in front of her. She gradually came to life and raised her arms above her head as the music started to build. It was a song that Regina didn’t recognize, so she watched with rapt attention as Elsa weaved her way through a series of jumps, spins and connecting steps. The program was choreographed to take full advantage of the musical nuances and Elsa kept creating beautiful shapes and images on the ice with each movement of her arms and every sweep of her skate blades. 

Regina was absolutely mesmerized. “She’s amazing,” she breathed. “I’ve never seen anyone move like that.”

“She’s got wonderful natural musicality,” Robin agreed. “That kind of skill can’t be taught.”

The only flaw in Elsa’s program was an under-rotation on the second jump of her triple-triple combination. It was the first element in the program and Regina was so caught in in the spectacle that she didn’t notice the iffy landing of the second jump until the replay showed it on the screen. 

“I hope the judges don’t ding her too badly for that,” Emma worried. “She didn’t put a foot wrong otherwise.”

But the judges were cruel today. Elsa’s combination was downgraded to a triple-double, which is worth far less points than a triple-triple. She was able to hang in to win second place overall based on the strength of the rest of the program and her lead after the short, but Regina had to imagine it was a bitter pill for the Norwegian girl to swallow. Elsa was joined on the podium by two of the Japanese girls and Ashley finished in fifth place.

Ana and Will wanted to stay to watch the pairs free program, but Regina found that she was too exhausted both physically and emotionally to enjoy it. Being acutely aware of her discomfort, Emma and Robin escorted Regina back to her hotel room. “I’ll run down the street and get us all some takeout,” Emma volunteered, sensing that Regina needed a moment alone with her partner.   
Regina sat down heavily on her bed and hugged her knees against her chest. Robin gestured to the space next to her and she nodded. He sat down and extended a supportive hand to her. She took it, twining her fingers through his and shifting a few inches closer. 

“Are you alright?” he asked, in a voice that was scarcely louder than a whisper.

She wanted to lie and say she was fine – anything to get him to stop looking at her as if she was something breakable – but she found herself incapable of being anything but truthful. “No, I’m not alright,” she said softly. She looked him directly in the eye for emphasis. “When that girl fell… it was like re-living my own accident. I don’t know what came over me. I see skaters fall every day, but she was in almost the same spot as me when I fell and my mind just…”

A tear stung the corner of her eye. Abandoning any pretense, Robin wordlessly reached out and enveloped Regina in a close embrace. Regina surrendered herself to it, wrapping her own arms around his strong shoulders and resting her head against his chest. Robin stretched out his fingers against her spine and started to rub soothing circles against her back. Her shoulders shook a little bit and he thought he heard a muffled sob. But when he looked down, there were no tears in her eyes. There was only a steely glint of determination.

“Have you… spoken to anyone about this?” he asked gently. He paused his ministrations to give her a chance to respond.

Regina lifted her head and backed away slightly. “Not for a while. I did talk to a counsellor and a sports psychologist while I was recovering, but they both seemed to think I was doing okay psychologically. This is the first time in months that I’ve had any sort of… incident.”

“Perhaps you should speak to the sports psychologist again,” Robin suggested, “if you think it would help. Or… if talking to me about it helps, then by all means. I’m more than happy to lend an ear to your trials.”

It was so sweet that he wanted to be strong for both of them. Regina sighed and sat back against her pillows. “You don’t mind listening to my tales of woe?”

Robin nodded reassuringly. “I don’t mind in the least.”

Regina patted the spot next to her and he moved over to sit beside her. “Thank you,” she said quietly, almost shyly. “You… you’re a good partner,” she added, looking down as she said it. Somehow she couldn’t quite look him in the eye.

Robin’s heart swelled. “I’m glad you think so, milady.”

****

Emma returned with a veritable Japanese buffet of stir-fry, tempura vegetables and a few pieces of sushi. They spread their feast out on Regina’s bed and surfed the channels while they ate. They ended up watching an anime show with English subtitles and magical girls. Apparently Emma was a big anime fan, so she was able to walk Robin and Regina through some of the tropes and genre conventions. Emma was proving to be useful in ways that Regina had never imagined. As competitors they would never be best friends, but by the end of the night it felt as if a truce had been put in place. 

It was late by the time Robin finally left for the night. He returned to his own hotel room and collapsed on his bed. His mind was swimming with all manner of thoughts… mostly Regina-related thoughts. When he closed his eyes to sleep, all he could think of was her beautiful face and the look of sheer terror in her eyes when the other skater had fallen. Just as Regina’s injury still haunted her, her reaction to it now haunted him as well. But it wasn’t all bad, he reasoned. She’d opened up to him again. She’d even let him get closer. That had to mean something, didn’t it? 

The memory of holding her in his arms guided Robin into a deep and restful sleep. So restful that his roommate Eric practically had to shout to wake him up the next morning. Robin went through the motions of eating and getting ready in a daze. There was no going back now. He was falling for his partner. And he was already in too deep to stop it. 

The mood in the dressing room was subdued today. Killian Jones was stretching and pacing to keep his injured hip from seizing up. Merlin Ambrose, who was usually jovial and smiley, looked slightly ill. Even Will, who could always be counted on to be the first to make a joke to lighten the mood, was subdued. When Robin asked him what was going on, Will looked pained. “It’s that girl from yesterday,” he said in a low voice. “The one who fell. She’s in rough shape apparently. Her coach even pulled her from the exhibition later.”

Robin inhaled sharply and thought of Regina. Had she heard the news yet? How was she taking it? “I hope she pulls through,” he murmured gravely. “It was very upsetting.”

Will mirrored Robin’s grave stance. “Speaking of upsetting… how’s Regina?”

“She was alright the last time I spoke to her.” He had a sudden urge to go find her and confirm that she was ready to compete. He excused himself to go knock on the door of the women’s dressing room. To his infinite relief, Regina was the one to answer the summons. She appeared to be in high spirits, but she faltered when she saw him. “What’s up with you? You’re white as a sheet.”

Robin cleared his throat. Suddenly he couldn’t think of a single thing to say. “Er… I just… wanted to make sure…”

“Make sure I was okay?” She finished for him. “You worry too much. I’m fine. I promise.” She gave him one of her signature game face smiles. “In fact, I feel better than fine. We’re only half a point behind LeFay and Ambrose. If we can really nail our elements and do better on the grade of execution than they do, we might win another bronze medal!”

Robin smiled weakly. He wished he had her confidence. But then he remembered Merlin Ambrose’s grim expression in the change room. LeFay and Ambrose were under just as much pressure as Mills and Locksley were. And with only half a point separating them, it was still anyone’s game. Robin had been strong for Regina yesterday. He could be strong for her again today. “Let’s do this,” he said with conviction. 

Regina nodded approvingly. “That’s the spirit.” She took a quick look around to see if anyone was listening. “So… are you going to escort me to the ice again this time?” she teased with a slight flutter of her eyelashes.

Robin cleared his throat again. Had it been this hot in the room a minute ago? “Er… certainly. As milady wishes.” He held out his arm and she took it gladly. Perhaps this would become a competition ritual for us, he thought as they paraded arm in arm toward the holding area. He liked the idea of having a superstition he could share with her and her alone.

Their free dance today felt much more polished than it did a month ago in Milwaukee. The step sequences were faster, the lifts felt more secure and the spin felt more centred. The twizzles were about the same as before: competent, but not outstanding. But it didn’t matter. Their free dance score was 93.95: just over two points more than they scored at Skate America. Ursula and John were very pleased with their progress.

Once they were alone backstage by the monitor, Regina turned to Robin. “Did you hear about the girl who was injured yesterday? She had to withdraw from the exhibition gala!”

Robin gawked at her. “Yes, I heard. That’s why I came to talk to you…”

Regina tilted her head and leaned a little closer. “Oh… you were worried about me?” She perched on the toepicks of her skates to draw herself up a few inches. “You really don’t have to do that, you know. I can   
handle myself most of the time.”

“I know you can,” he reassured her. “I just like being able to be of use to you.”

Her expression softened for a moment before she gave his arm a tug. “Come on. Let’s go watch the rest of the teams on the monitor.” She pointed a short distance away to where LeFay and Ambrose had already taken up their starting positions. Robin acquiesced and followed Regina to the viewing area. “I don’t believe it. The guy named Merlin is skating to music from the BBC Merlin soundtrack,” she marvelled as the music started.

Robin chuckled. “That’s nothing. Killian told me he and Emma are skating to Swan Lake.”

It was Regina’s turn to gawk. “You have got to be kidding me. Emma Swan, skating to Swan Lake? It’s like their coaches are trolling us.”

Robin had a different opinion. “Their short dance is very unorthodox. Perhaps they wanted something more traditional for the free?” he suggested.

Regina considered this. “You can’t get much more traditional than Swan Lake.”

But perhaps tradition was not all it was cracked up to be. Though Emma and Killian earned the highest score of the day for their Swan Lake free dance, it was Anastasia and Will who won the award for creativity with their program to a medley of songs by Muse. In the end, Regina’s prediction came true: Mills and Locksley’s free dance score was high enough for them to sneak in and snatch the bronze medal from LeFay and Ambrose. Tremaine and Scarlet came second and Swan and Jones won the event. The top two teams’ scores for the free dance were in the high nineties. The medal ceremony was much more cordial for everyone this time. Robin was prodigiously proud of Will as one would be for a loveable younger brother and he also respected Killian for persevering through his minor hip injury. Regina had likewise developed a fondness for Ana and a greater appreciation for Emma. The Exhibition Gala that came afterwards also proved to be a fun event for everyone. Robin and Regina’s “Take me to Church” program was well-received by the audience and the other ice dancers had interesting show programs as well. 

“I loved LeFay and Ambrose’s exhibition music!” Regina said afterwards as they took the shuttle bus back to the hotel for the last time. “I also asked Elsa who did her free program music. It’s a Norwegian artist, if you can believe it. I’ve got a lot of material to add to my Spotify account.”

Robin watched as Regina scrolled excitedly through her phone. Even though the competition was long over, his heartrate was still a shade faster than it normally was. Normally he could have chocked it up to post-competitive adrenaline, but this time he was inclined to think it was Regina who was making his heart beat faster. When she turned to smile at him and his heart almost jumped out of his chest, he knew it was.

He was falling for his partner.  
God help him.  
She was wonderful.  
He was in big trouble.


	11. The Grand Prix Final

Just like that, the Grand Prix was over.

After two intense competitions, Regina and Robin had two bronze medals to show for their efforts. They went home from Japan exhausted but ultimately satisfied with their progress. Tink insisted on displaying Regina’s medals next to hers on the mantelpiece in their shared living room. “We need to celebrate our accomplishments,” the petite blonde insisted. “And the mantel is going to look very empty once Snow takes her medals away.”

It was true: Snow had finally made the decision to move in with David. There had been a great deal of emotional upheaval on all sides when Snow broke the news: anger from Regina, exasperation from Tink and indignation from Snow. David had wisely kept out of it. “Better to let the ladies resolve these conflicts on their own,” he said sagely to Robin. “They’ll fight it out and then they’ll get over it.”

Robin wasn’t so easily convinced. Snow and Regina fell into a pattern of being cordial with each other while Tink continued to simmer. With one less housemate to pay the bills, things were going to get expensive for Regina and Tink to live in the townhouse alone. While both girls had earned some prize money competing on the Grand Prix, living expenses were going to be tight with just the two of them. Tink started looking for someone to rent Snow’s room out to before Snow was even fully moved out. While Regina saw the practicality of it, it led to a tiff between Snow and Tink that caused Snow to drag her heels when it came to moving the last of her boxes out of the townhouse.

But then fate intervened. The taps in the bathroom at Robin and John’s apartment sprung a leak and most of the bathroom was destroyed. Robin and John vacated their accomodations and John moved in with a friend from the skating club while Robin agreed to take Snow’s old room. He tried not to act too eager at the prospect of living under the same roof as Regina but he couldn’t help himself. On the day Robin was scheduled to move in, she showed up on the doorstep with takeout and a two bouquets of flowers for his new housemates.

“Thin crust multigrain pizza and flowers? You’re too precious!” Tink squealed as she let Robin in. “I’d almost be into you if I was into guys.”

Robin smiled at her candidness. He’d caught Tink re-watching a video of Elsa’s free program at the Japanese Grand Prix and he suspected that it wasn’t just a matter of professional interest in the competition. Tink had a crush. “I’m happy to be of service,” he said gallantly. 

Tink leaned in closer and whispered, “I think I might know someone who’s into you,” she said shrewdly. 

“Oh?” Robin feigned innocence. He knew better than to hope Tink was referring to Regina.

But she was. “She’d never admit it out loud, but she’s very fond of you,” Tink confessed. “And I think you’re fond of her too.”

The word “fond” doesn’t begin to cover it, Robin thought as Regina stepped into the room. She was wearing leggings and an oversized sweater today and she looked more beautiful than ever. But there was something amiss. A frown was creasing her forehead and her posture was slightly hunched. 

“They better be taking the last of these boxes out of here tonight,” Regina complained as she nudged one of Snow’s packing boxes with her foot. “They’re in the way.” She looked up and saw Robin standing there with the second bouquet of flowers in his hands. “Oh!” she exclaimed. “You didn’t have to do that.” She looked embarrassed as she accepted the colourful arrangement from him. “They’re very pretty,” she added a bit more demurely as she ripped open the plastic covering and placed the flowers in a vase. “This is really sweet of you,” she went on as she filled the vase with water set the flowers on the counter. “And pizza too? You’re too good for us.”

Robin drank in her praise. She seemed a bit calmer now, though he wondered what had been bothering her before. Once he had his guitar case and his other possessions moved into this new room, he settled with the girls on the sofa to watch some videos from the Grand Prix Final.

The Grand Prix final was an event that took place after all the other Grand Prixes were over. The top six high scorers in each discipline advanced to the Final for one last chance to duke it out for skating supremacy. It also marked the middle point in the skating season. After the Final was over, most countries had their national events in December or January. The European Championships occurred in January and the Four Continents Championship in February was the last event of the season before the all-encompassing World Championships in March.

Regina, Robin and Tink would be watching the Grand Prix Final from the comfort of their own home since they had not qualified this year. It was a testament to how deep the field of competition was that two bronze medals wasn’t enough to earn a trip to the Final. But it was enough to be put on the list as first alternates. In the event that someone had to drop out of the Final, Robin and Regina would have been called on to go in their place. But no one dropped out this year. No one could afford to.

As much as he wanted to get out there and compete more, Robin was relieved that he didn’t have to balance another trip overseas with the hassle of moving out of his apartment. It was much nicer to sit here on the sofa with Regina and eat pizza while they watched the short dances of their competition on Tink’s laptop. Despite finishing behind Regina and Robin at their last event, LeFay and Ambrose still earned a trip to the Final by virtue of their second-place finish at the Grand Prix of China.

“It’s completely unfair and two bronzes are worth less in the ranking than a second and fourth-place finish,” Tink complained as the familiar strain of the Sleeping Beauty waltz filtered in over the speakers. “You guys should be there. You’re just as good as them. They had an easier field to compete against at their first event in China.”

“Maybe we should send you to the International Skating Union to plead our case,” Regina suggested slyly. “They couldn’t say no to your cute determined little face.”

Tink growled indignantly and tore off another slice of pizza. “I’m adorable. They would all quake before me.”

“I’m sure they would,” Robin said, somehow managing to keep a straight face as LeFay and Ambrose received their scores. Troyes and DuLac were on the ice next and Regina leaned forward expectantly to watch. Just as the music began to play, the doorbell rang. Regina huffed and paused the video to answer it.

“It’s probably just Snow coming back for the last of her junk,” Tink mumbled around a mouthful of pizza.

Robin looked up expectantly when Regina returned with an apologetic Snow and an older man he’d never seen before. Regina was avoiding both of their gazes and her shoulders were slumped over again to mirror the stance she had when Robin had arrived. Robin took in the scene and did the mental math. Either saying goodbye to Snow was what was causing Regina’s distress or it was the presence of the odd man hovering on the periphery of the scene. “I moved the rest of your boxes into the hallway,” Regina was saying. “Do you need a hand carrying them down?”

“I think we can manage,” the man’s voice cut in. He moved forward to pick up one of the boxes and Regina instinctively stepped back. 

“I’ll leave you to it, then.” Regina left Snow and the stranger in the hallway and returned to the living room. She sat down between Robin and Tink and tapped the icon to start the video again.

“What was all that about?” Robin whispered to Tink as Troyes and DuLac’s Cinderella music started up again.

Tink looked very uncomfortable. “That’s Snow’s father,” she told him. “He’s kind of a creep,” she added in an undertone.

“Ah.” Robin snuck a glance at the father-daughter pair as they hefted the first of Snow’s boxes out the door. Robin was not the sort of person who got positive or negative vibes from other people. He was observant but not intuitive. Intuition was Regina’s department and he was inclined to agree with her assessment. They’d both come to the conclusion that Lancelot and Guin’s coach was a creep. Robin had based his impression on the man’s behaviour and Regina had reached her conclusion simply by looking at him at the vibe he gave off. They had different methods of reasoning but they both came up with the same answer. 

Regina didn’t relax. She remained rigid-postured and sullen through the short dances of Swan and Jones, Lucas and Booth and Marvella and Gardiner. It seemed to take forever for Snow and her father to move the boxes. Robin got fed up with seeing Regina in distress, so he got up to help. Snow thanked him graciously but her father barely spared him a second look. That confirms it. He’s a creep and he’s rude on top of it, Robin decided. 

When he got back to the living room, Robin found Regina sitting alone on the sofa. “Tink’s gone to make sure Snow got all her beauty products out of the bathroom,” Regina offered by way of an explanation. “You won’t believe how many powder compacts that girl owns.” Regina still looked a little out of sorts. Robin sat down next to her and took her hand. “You must think I’m acting strange,” she murmured. Her voice was filled with uncertainty and Robin felt a strong urge to take her in his arms again. “I just really don’t like that guy.”

“Can’t say I blame you. He was rather rude, inviting himself in like that.” Robin shifted sideways and his knee accidentally bumped against hers.

Regina tried to brush him off. “Forget it. Let’s watch the pairs. I want to see Mills and Crane.” She reached over him to call up the next video on the list.

“Mills and Crane?” Robin repeated the names with a bemused smile. “Any relation?”

Regina shook her head ruefully. “Not that I know of. But she’s an amazing skater. They call her the American Dream. And her partner’s pretty good too, I suppose,” she added as an afterthought. “They’re skating to “Sympathy for the Devil”.”

“Oh excellent!” Robin remarked as Regina started up the video. “I love the Rolling Stones.”

Robin didn’t know nearly as much about pairs skating as he did about ice dancing, but he always enjoyed watching the pairs. He never failed to be impressed by the stamina of the strong pairs men who had to lift their petite partners over their heads and throw them into death-defying jumps. In addition to Mills and Crane, he took a particular liking to Costa and Perrault, the young team from Great Britain. “Phillip Perrault was my old flatmate,” he explained. “He’s come a long way. A few years ago, he could barely jump.”

Regina liked the British pair as well. “They get bonus points from me for skating to Moulin Rouge. It’s one of my favourite movies.”

Robin was intrigued by this admission. “Really? It has such a sad ending though.”

“But the soundtrack is great,” Regina countered as the next team took the ice. “Wait a minute… where did the announcer say these two were from? I don’t recognize them.” She was squinting at the screen as if she recognized the next pair of skaters but couldn’t place them.

“I think they’re Norwegian,” Robin said. “Ah yes, there’s the little flag. Arendelle and Anderson? That sounds familiar…”

“This must be Elsa’s younger sister!” Regina realized in rush. 

As if summoned, Tink reappeared in the room. “Did someone say Elsa? Don’t tell me you started watching the ladies’ short program without me!”

“Not Elsa – her sister. Anna.” Regina pointed to the screen. “And they’re skating to music from Cirque du Soleil.”

Tink plopped herself down on the couch and the three of them watched the program unfold. The music was a quirky upbeat number called “Monde Inverse” – the world inside out. Anna and her partner Kristoff were young and peppy, so the catchy tune was a good choice to showcase their skills.

“The pairs competition is stiff this year,” Tink remarked after Arendelle and Anderson received their scores. “I don’t envy Snow and David at all.”

“Did Snow get off okay?” Regina asked. She’d almost forgotten her friend was leaving. 

“She cleared out the last of it,” Tink confirmed. “I would have asked her to stay and watch the videos with us, but… I didn’t want to give her old man an excuse to hang around. Last time he was here, he invited himself to dinner and didn’t lift a finger to help. And then he had the gall to complain we didn’t use enough salt in the stew.” Tink looked slightly murderous at the memory.

“You were doing him a favour,” Robin said shrewdly. “Too much sodium isn’t good for you.”

They polished off the last of the pizza and watched the women take to the ice. Elsa Arendelle was the class of the field with her “Carmen” short program and Lilith Page, the lone American entry and Mal’s younger sister, charmed the audience with her program to Lana Del Rey’s version of “Once Upon a Dream.”

“Lots of Lana Del Rey this season,” Tink remarked as she yawned and stretched. “I feel like I’m missing out.”

“Better Lana Del Rey than twenty versions of Phantom of the Opera.” Regina shuddered. “Remember last season? Practically every other skater was skating to it.”

“Too much of a good thing,” Robin agreed. “Shall we watch the men now?”

Tink scoffed. “Nothing there to interest me. I’m turning in for the night. Let you two have some quality alone time.” She gave them both a pointed look and slouched out of the living room, yawning as she went.

Regina and Robin exchanged bemused glances. “I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by that,” Regina murmured nervously as Robin pressed play on the next video. “She just likes fixing people up.”

Robin nodded politely but on the inside he was panicking. What if he’d misjudged her earlier and she really wasn’t interested. “Yes. Well. We should probably just…”

“Not that it would be a bad thing,” Regina went on. “I mean, you did ask if we could spend time together off the ice, just the two of us.”

Robin was giddy with relief. He still had a shot! “I’m still up for it if you are. Maybe we could see a movie together over the holidays,” he suggested in what he hoped was not an over-eager tone of voice.

Regina looked visibly relieved too. “I’d like that.”

They watched the men’s short program videos in comfortable silence. The American skater in the field had a rough outing, but the rest of the competitors stepped up to the plate and gave it their best. Regina dozed off with her head on Robin’s shoulder and couldn’t be roused, not even when the doorbell rang sometime later. Robin immediately felt suspicious. It was quite late now. Who could possibly be calling at this time of night? He wondered as he gently extricated himself from Regina’s willing embrace and stalked toward the front door. He caught a glimpse of movement through the window and hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. He knew the house had a security system but he didn’t think it was armed at the moment. He could have sworn Tink had even said something about changing the alarm code after Snow moved out.

“Robin?” Regina called groggily from the living room. “Who is it?”

“Not sure,” he called back as he undid the deadbolt lock. He had his cellphone in his pocket. He could dial 911 in an instant if he needed to. The bell sounded again and Robin opened the door a crack and stuck his head out.

Snow’s father stood on the front stoop with a key in his outstretched hand. For a split second Robin thought the man had meant to stick the key in the lock but he blinked and the image went away. Robin frowned and did not open the door any further. “Mr. Blanchard, good evening. Did your daughter forget something?” Robin inquired, in as polite a voice as he could muster.

Mr. Blanchard looked very uncomfortable. And perhaps a touch disappointed? Good, Robin thought. He shouldn’t be comfortable turning up at the place where his daughter used to live in the middle of the night. He seemed to not know what to say so Robin spoke again. “Is there something I can help you with, sir?” he prompted. “Only it’s quite late and I was about to turn in for the night…”

“Snow’s key,” Mr. Blanchard said at last. “I came to return it.” He held the key out to Robin, who took it and pocketed it. 

“Thank you,” Robin said with as much feigned politeness as he could muster. “Was that all?” 

“Yes,” Mr. Blanchard said brusquely. There was a guilty look about him that Robin didn’t like. Earlier he might have chocked the older man’s odd behaviour up as the overreaction of a protective father who didn’t want his daughter moving in with her boyfriend yet, but there was an overall shifty air about the man that Robin didn’t like. Was this how Regina felt when she got bad vibes from people? Maybe her intuition was rubbing off on him.

“Well. Good night then,” Robin said, still keeping up the act of a gracious host. He eased the door shut gently, though a less charitable part of him longed to slam it in the poor man’s face. Robin bolted the door and returned to the living room.

Regina was sitting up on the sofa with a throw blanket wrapped around her shoulders. “Was that who I think it was?” She shuddered for emphasis. “What the hell. Why would he drag himself all the way back here at this hour?”

Robin took Snow’s key out of his pocket. “He came to return this, or so he said.”

Regina took the key and inspected it. “He’s so creepy. I have half a mind to have the locks changed now.” She said it in a would-be casual voice, but Robin could tell she was more worried than she was letting on. “I’ll call the security company in the morning about changing the alarm code at least,” she decided. “Last time he was here, a few of our DVDs went missing. I can’t help but wonder if he’s just a sad old kleptomaniac.”

Oddly enough, this seemed like the most logical explanation. The only other option was that Mr. Blanchard enjoyed pushing himself into the company of attractive young women. Robin’s stomach turned. He was inclined to think the best of people, but some men were creeps. He was determined not to be one of them.

“I’m going to bed,” Regina announced to no one in particular. “And I’m putting the alarm on.”

“Good plan,” Robin agreed. 

“I thought my father was just being paranoid when he insisted on installing our security system, but I’ll sleep better tonight because of it,” Regina added. She spared Robin a sleepy smile. “Good night, Robin.” She gave him a loose, one-armed hug and started up the stairs.

“Pleasant dreams,” he called after her. 

Robin wandered back into the living room to turn off the computer and take the used plates and empty pizza box to the kitchen. He heard a quick series of beeps as Regina activated the alarm in another part of the house. He sighed with relief knowing that everyone under this roof would sleep soundly tonight and that they would never have to see Mr. Blanchard again – except perhaps at Snow and David’s inevitable wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was angry about the Sleepy Hollow season finale while I was writing this chapter, so I added in a Sleepy Hollow reference just for the hell of it.


	12. New Surroundings

Robin soon learned that Regina had a very particular way of running her home. She liked things to be neat and organized at all times. Robin soon learned that Regina was the queen of the castle while Robin and Tink just lived there.

“We take turns with the regular household chores and everyone is responsible for their own laundry,” Regina explained as she gave Robin the grand tour. “I have a load to do later, so I can show you how the settings work on the machine.”

“That sounds easy enough,” Robin agreed.

“If there’s one chore that you prefer to do, you can negotiate doing that chore more often in favour of doing other chores less,” Regina went on.

Robin was quick to render his services. “I’m fine with taking on more cooking and grocery shopping and cleaning the kitchen if it means I have to clean the bathroom less.”

Regina nodded approvingly. “I’m sure we can manage that. Tink loves grocery shopping but she hates cooking. I’m the opposite.” She gave him a pointed glare before continuing her speech. “And I happen to like cleaning the bathroom, I’ll have you know. That way I know it’s actually clean.”

Robin smiled politely. “Cleanliness is next to godliness and all that.” 

Is he making fun of me? Regina wondered. No matter. At least his personal hygiene products wouldn’t take up as much space in the bathroom as Snow’s had. The poor man had no idea what he was in for. One day he’d open the wrong drawer in the bathroom and end up wrist deep in a box of tampons. The thought made her giggle.

Robin gazed at her with bemusement. “Did I say something funny?” he asked innocently.

He’s still adorable when he’s clueless, she thought with a smile. You’d think the novelty would have worn off by now but it only made him more endearing. Regina deftly changed the subject. “Do you need a hand unpacking the rest of your stuff?”

Robin looked very grateful. “I’d love that.” He’d already put most of his clothing away in the closet and chest of drawers Snow had left behind. The room was already furnished with a bed, nightstand and bookshelf as well. The lone window was adorned with blinds and thin gauzy curtains. Robin hoped to replace the curtains with something more substantial once he was fully unpacked.

Regina opened a packing box to find a collection of vinyl records inside. “I didn’t take you for the turntable type,” she remarked as she ran her curious fingers over one of the cardboard sleeves. 

Robin lowered his head shyly. “My dad was a collector. He let me take a few of my all-time favourites to America with me.”

Regina studied Robin’s face and noticed a slight flush to his cheeks. He was blushing! How precious. “My dad is a vinyl man too,” she admitted. “We should introduce them someday. I’m sure they’ll have lots of stories to swap.”

Regina had been driving herself to distraction trying to come up with the perfect Christmas present for Robin before she stumbled onto this record collection. After a quick browse through the box, she noted a few classic titles he didn’t have and made a mental note of what to look for. She also took the liberty of alphabetizing his book collection. Robin watched with a bemused smile as she positioned the books on the sturdy wooden shelves. She was so cute when she was being bossy. Maybe he liked cute bossy girls.

“This one doesn’t have a title,” Regina remarked when she came across a plain black hardback. She let it fall open in her hands before she realized that it wasn’t a book at all. “Ooh! Is this a sketchbook?” She started to flip through the pages but Robin snatched the little book from her hands before she could see anything. 

“A man’s sketchbook is a very private thing,” he said solemnly. At first Regina thought he was joking but the pained expression on his face made Regina’s laughter die in her throat. 

“I’m sorry,” Regina murmured. “I had no idea you were an artist.”

Robin’s face had turned red. “I’m not very good.”

And he’s modest too, she thought to herself. “I’m sure you’re better than you think.”

Robin put the book in the drawer of the bedside table and shut it with a swift movement that suggested finality. “Is my pencil case in that box?” he asked.

Regina glanced down at the last thing in the box: an old metal tin that was held together with an elastic band. “This thing?” she asked as she picked it up. “It looks like it’s seen better days.”

Robin grimaced as he took the elastic off and surveyed the contents of the box. “I should buy some new pencils,” he muttered, more to himself than to her. “I went through two 2Bs last year when I wasn’t competing.”

“So you took up sketching because you weren’t skating?” Regina surmised. “That’s good. It’s good to have a creative outlet.”

Robin put the pencil case in the drawer as well. “Let’s just say I’m a much better skater than I am an artist.”

Regina wanted to say something helpful but Tink knocked on the door and spoiled the moment. “Come on you two!” She gestured urgently. “The livestream of the free dance is starting!”

Regina and Robin hustled after Tink. Robin seemed relieved to not be the centre of Regina’s attention anymore. He matter-of-factly closed the door to his room before they went back downstairs and Regina felt a swell of guilt in her stomach for even being curious. Tink already had the livestream open on her laptop in the living room. The first warmup group was on the ice when they sat down. “Check it out!” Tink was saying. She was completely oblivious to the moment of tension between her housemates. “LeFay and Ambrose have new costumes!” Tink pointed to the screen.

Regina squinted at Nimue LeFay’s red and gold dress with a twinge of envy. The deep, rich red looked gorgeous on her medium skintone and the gold detailing on the bodice and sleeves gave the costume a rich, sumptuous feel. “They look good,” she admitted grudgingly. “They’re a very attractive couple too. You don’t see nearly enough interracial teams on the ice.”

“I still think you guys are better,” Tink grumbled as Swan and Jones glided by in their light, feathery Swan Lake costumes. “And I don’t know who Swan thinks she’s fooling. The Black Swan look would’ve been much more striking on the ice.”

Regina agreed. “Just wait – maybe she’ll go full Natalie Portman halfway through the program.”

“I hope Killian’s hip is holding up alright,” Robin murmured sympathetically. “It was really bothering him back in Japan.”

“I think Tremaine and Scarlet are best dressed in this group,” Tink decided. “She looks like a monarch butterfly. Or Effie Trinket’s more conservative cousin.”

“She’s certainly regal,” Robin agreed. “This ought to be good. All the teams in this group are excellent.”

Robin’s assessment proved correct. LeFay and Ambrose put up an impressive score to start and the teams that went after them had to scramble to keep up. In the end, Tremaine and Scarlet beat Swan and Jones by less than a point.

Regina was sweating nervously by the time the second group took the ice. So far the scores were much higher than anything she and Robin had ever earned. How was she supposed to beat these people when they were already so much better? She couldn’t relax when Troyes and DuLac’s Woodkid music started up. Instead of transporting her as it did before, the program only made her feel more inadequate. Guinevere and Lancelot had sharpened up their elements since Regina had seen them last and the program looked crisper and more complex than it had in October. “We’re doomed,” she fretted as the marks came up. “They’re only the third-ranked team here and they scored over 100 points!”

“Let’s not fret just yet,” Robin said soothingly. “There are still two more teams to skate and I think they’ll be hard pressed to beat that score.”

Regina whimpered forlornly. “Don’t remind me.”

Lucas and Booth took to the ice next. Even though she’d competed against them back in Salt Lake, Regina found that she had almost no recollection of their free dance. At the time she’d been so caught up in her own fears and worries about competing again that her brain had failed to record any meaningful memories of Ruby and August’s free dance: not the music (two songs by electronic indie artist Ruelle), the costumes (black and purple with illusion mesh a splash of sequins) or even most of the choreography. “Did they have that lift in the program before?” She wondered out loud as Ruby showed off her flexibility in a split lift position. 

Robin looked askance at her. “You don’t remember? It got a huge cheer from the audience in Salt Lake.”

Regina found herself sliding forward on the couch cushions and closer to the screen as the program progressed. It had the same contemporary dance style of movement as Troyes and DuLac’s free dance, but there was a fluidity to the skating and an elegance in their movements that the French team lacked. As much as Regina liked Guin and Lancelot’s routine, today she was much more compelled by what the Canadians had to offer. Marvella and Gardiner’s emotional but choreographically conservative routine to “Canto Della Terra” suddenly seemed dull and staid by comparison.

“This is unpatriotic of me, but I vastly preferred the Canadians today over our American rivals,” Robin remarked after Alice and Jefferson left the ice. “I feel as if their program hasn’t really grown since Skate America, whereas the French team has improved quite a bit.”

“They’re aiming to peak at the World Championships, not the Grand Prix Final,” Tink pointed out. “I’m sure they’ll look a lot sharper next month at US Nationals.” 

But the judges were in agreement with Regina and Robin today. The Canadians outscored the Americans by three points in the free dance and their combined total was enough to keep Ruby and August in first place overall.

Good, Regina thought to herself. At least now Alice and Jefferson know they’re not invincible. The Canadians trounced them here and the French were nipping at their heels. Suddenly she felt a swell of relief. Alice and Jefferson were still beatable which meant Mills and Locksley hadn’t lost their chance yet. Nationals would give everyone a much clearer idea of where the top three American teams stood in relation to one another.

Regina wanted to stretch her legs before the women took to the ice for their free program, so she wandered off to the kitchen and left Robin and Tink alone in the living room. The second hand stress of the competition was eating away at her and she just needed a moment to breathe. She’d only been back on the competitive circuit for half a season and she’d already forgotten what it was like to not be competing. It was a curious sensation, one that she didn’t like at all. She left a voice mail for her psychologist to see if she had any appointments open in the next few weeks. She couldn’t let the stress overtake her. Not now, not with Nationals only five weeks away. She needed to clear her head and endure it, not go to pieces because she couldn’t control her emotions. She could do this. She was strong enough.

By the time she returned to the living room, she felt much more at ease. She’d taken the liberty of throwing some fruit and yoghurt in the blender to make smoothies for everyone. She even took the time to place fruit garnishes on the rims of the glasses. She hoped Robin would take it as a peace offering for her earlier curiosity over his sketchbook.

“I always appreciated your attention to detail,” Robin said gratefully as he accepted his drink and took a hearty sip. “Mm! This is excellent. Is there anything you can’t do?”

Regina basked in his praise. She was forgiven. “I’m good at almost everything.”

Tink shot her a dirty look but Regina only smiled at her in return.

“Is this how it’s gonna be from now on? I have to sit here listening to you two flirt?” Tink reached over and turned up the volume on the laptop. “Forget that. If either of you talks through Elsa’s routine, I’ll cut both your tongues out.”

Robin leaned over and whispered in Regina’s ear. “Feisty wee thing, isn’t she?” 

His lips came a breath away from brushing her ear and the suddenness of it made Regina nearly drop her glass. “She’s just jealous,” she managed to say as her heart flipped over inside her chest. She was more than forgiven. If anything, Robin’s regard for her had only increased.

Regina said little else for the entire ladies’ free program. She barely made a peep when the diminutive Russian girls earned big cheers for their textbook jump landings and gymnastic flexibility. Mal’s younger sister Lily did an admirable job and Kira Yukimura’s program was one of the highlights of the day once again. But Kira made a small error on the landing of her final jump – a little trip and a stepout – that left the door open for Elsa to swoop in and steal the crown with her highly interpretive number to Susanne Sundfor’s “Delirious”.

“That was even more beautiful than the last time I saw it,” Regina murmured after the scores were announced. “She’s really something.”

“She really is,” Robin agreed.

They both turned to Tink, who was still staring open-mouthed at the young woman on the screen. Poor Tink was already half in love with the competition. Robin wasn’t sure what was worse: falling for a competitor or falling for your partner. 

Regina meanwhile was already plotting a scheme to have the two girls meet. “Elsa trains here in Michigan too, you know,” she said in a would-be casual voice. “We should invite her to our New Years’ Eve party.”  
Tink’s eyes went wide and she gestured frantically. “No way!” she squeaked in protest. “I don’t even know her!”

“But I know her,” Regina pointed out. “I meet her in Japan. We got talking because Mal designed her costumes. Mal’s already coming to the party, so it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to invite Elsa, and then I could introduce you…”

Tink only protested more. “And have Mal sweep Elsa off her feet? No thanks. I don’t need that kind of competition. Everyone knows all the girls fall in love with Mal.” She crossed her arms over her chest and sunk back into the recesses of the couch cushions. She was so petite she almost disappeared.

Regina waved her off. “You don’t have to worry about Mal stealing your girl. She’s bringing her girlfriend to the party.” 

Tink pulled herself up. “Mal has a girlfriend?”

Robin also looked surprised by the news. “I never knew,” he murmured. “I always thought she fancied you,” he added to Regina with a sly smile.

Regina blushed ever so slightly. “Mal fancies a lot of people,” she reminded them both. “But when we last talked, she sounded pretty serious about this Briar Rose girl. She asked me if she could have a plus one for the party and I said sure, the more the merrier.”

“This is shaping up to be quite a shindig,” Robin said approvingly. “Who else is coming?”

“Mulan and Bonnie from the skating club, Snow and David…” Tink trailed off, trying to remember the rest of the names. She turned to Regina for help. “Did you invite Emma and Killian?”

A guilty look crossed Regina’s face when she remembered the awkward phone call she’d made to Emma a week ago. The two girls had exchanged numbers after sharing a hotel room in Japan, but Regina’s call had been their first interaction over the phone. “I called Emma after we came back from Japan. She’s going home to Boston for the New Year and Killian’s spending his holidays back home in Ireland, so neither of them can come.” Regina felt bad that Robin would only have David for company, but it couldn’t be helped. Oh well. Maybe she and Robin would finally get to spend some time together at the party. Perhaps this would turn out better than she hoped.

But there were other things to consider first. As an only child who had been living with other skaters since she was a teenager, Regina had no idea what living with a boy under her roof would be like. Robin seemed like a better option than most: he knew how to cook and he wasn’t messy. He wasn’t even opposed to doing his own laundry. But Regina soon learned that while Robin was willing to do laundry, he tended to put the job off for as long as possible. So long in fact that once Robin ran out of clean shirts, he simply wandered around the house shirtless. Tink was unmoved but Regina found it very distracting. She was accustomed to seeing her partner in workout gear that showed off his fit physique, but seeing it put so blatantly on display did things to her. 

“Do you need me to show you how the machine works again?” Regina said weakly as she forced herself to look anywhere but his bare chest. Her eyes fell to the tattoo on his right arm instead. She’d noticed it before, but she’d never had the nerve to ask him what it meant. Instead she said, “I know the settings can be confusing.”

Robin at least had the decency to look abashed as she led him to the laundry room. A load of Regina’s wash had just ended its cycle, so she proceeded to remove her own clothes from the machine before adding Robin’s. As she hefted the wet load to the dryer, one of Regina’s bras fell out of the laundry pile and tumbled to the tile floor. Of course it wasn’t one of her sports bras or even one of her basic everyday t-shirt bras. Fate had determined that it would be one of her fancy lacy numbers that ended up on the floor that day. Robin’s gaze drifted from Regina to the piece on lingerie on the floor. He had half a mind to be helpful and pick it up but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Somehow he knew instinctively that his partner would not appreciate him putting his hands on her undergarments without her permission. So he cleared his throat instead and prayed that she caught his meaning. 

Regina did. She dumped the rest of the clothes in the dryer, snatched up the bra and added it to the load so quickly Robin could have blinked and missed it. “Stop gawking and load up your machine,” she said, snapping him out of his reverie. “Don’t give me that look,” she added, seeing that he still had a small smile on his face. “I’m not the one wandering around half naked.”

She showed him the settings and left Robin watching his laundry spinning in the machine. What a ridiculous man, she thought fondly. You’d think he’d never seen a washing machine before. At least he knows his way around the kitchen.

****

Regina had one last Christmas present to buy. After learning of Robin’s secret artistic ambitions and the sorry state of his pencil case, art supplies seemed like the perfect gift. She needed to do much better than the generic gift she’d gotten him for his birthday in October. She wasn’t sure what else he needed so she picked up a couple of 2B pencils and some new erasers for starters. Her intention was to create a basket of art supplies similar to the basket of beauty supplies she’d already put together for Tink. By chance she spotted a display of pencil cases with band logos on them and her heart skipped a beat. They had a Beatles one! With a little help from a talkative girl who worked in the shop, Regina soon had a plethora of art supplies to stuff in the new pencil case along with a gift certificate in case there was anything else he needed. Satisfied with her shopping, Regina returned to the townhouse feeling very smug. 

Robin was sitting in the living room waiting for her but this time he was fully dressed. “What have you got there?” he inquired with hopeful eyes.

Regina gave him a cagey response and shifted the shopping bag so he couldn’t see the name of the store. “Maybe I bought you a few new shirts since you seem to keep running out of them. Or maybe it’s something else. Either way, you’ll find out on Christmas morning.”

Robin pretended to look hurt. “I am wounded, milady.” He pouted tragically for emphasis and faked a dramatic faint.

Regina raised an eyebrow. Someone’s feeling extra playful today, she thought to herself. Only one way to deal with that. “Nicely done. But if you’re going to faint, I’d rather you did it on the couch.” She reached out a hand to help pull him up.

Robin looked pleased him himself. “I thought I would show off my method acting skills. I wouldn’t want those lessons with our acting coach to go to waste.”

“I’m sure you’ll win an Emmy next season,” Regina assured him. They shared a laugh and Regina retreated to her room to wrap Robin’s present. They only had room for a small artificial tree in the townhouse and it was already surrounded by colourfully wrapped gifts. Regina hid Robin’s present behind her gift for Tink and hoped that he wouldn’t snoop. There was already a pair of gifts from Robin for Regina and Tink under the tree. They were wrapped neatly in plain paper and tied together with ribbon. Regina felt a momentary twinge of guilt that Robin had finished his shopping before her but she brushed it aside. She was happy with the gift she’d gotten him and she was certain he would love it. That was what mattered. So what if he finished shopping first. It wasn’t a competition. Sometimes she forgot that not everything was a competition.

She found Robin ripping up lettuce in the kitchen. Tink had gone grocery shopping the night before so Robin had a fresh selection of produce to choose from to craft tonight’s meal. “I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable earlier,” he said ruefully. His eyes were slightly downcast and it surprised her. “I’m not used to living in a house with two ladies.”

“So it was shirts optional all the time when you lived with Philip and Will?” Regina laughed. “Men are ridiculous sometimes.”

“We have our uses though,” Robin pointed out with a coy wiggle of his eyebrows.

Not content to let him get away with that little remark, Regina scoffed and ignored his flirting. “You can cook. That makes you more useful than most.”

Robin took her gentle mocking in stride. He always did. “I do pride myself on being useful.”

“Good.” Regina nodded. “I was going to offer to help with dinner, but it looks like you’ve got it covered. Since you enjoy being so useful.” She flashed her sweetest smile and backed out of the kitchen, leaving Robin to his own devices.

Minx, he thought fondly as she padded back up the stairs. He knew it was a dangerous prospect to start flirting so brazenly with his partner, but Regina gave as good as she got. He liked her this way: carefree and content in her natural habitat. The fierce competitor he knew on the ice melted away to reveal the fiery young woman underneath.

Get a grip, man! He scolded himself. You’re starting to sound like a cheesy romance novel.

He wondered if Regina read cheesy romance novels.

Tink stalked into the kitchen and eyed Robin’s half-made salad with trepidation. “I hope there’s a side of something unhealthy to go with that,” the Australian girl moaned. “The holidays are such a trying time for those of us who have to watch what we eat.”

“They are indeed,” Robin agreed. “Speaking of holidays, what do you girls usually do? Aside from the New Year’s Party, I mean.”

“We don’t go all out with turkey and all the trimmings if that’s what you’re asking,” Tink said. “Last year we just bought one of those turkey breasts and had sweet potatoes and mixed vegetables instead of making a big deal of it.”

“What, no gravy?” Robin quipped.

Tink gave him a withering look. “Of course we had gravy. We’re not savages.” She paused for the moment to rearrange her facial expression into something more sympathetic. “I’m surprised you’re not going home to England for Christmas.”

“My parents usually spend Christmas someplace warm and sunny,” Robin told her. “And with Nationals just around the corner it makes more sense for me to stay here. I’m going to take a good long visit home next spring to make up for it.”

Tink nodded knowingly. “I figured it was something like that. My parents are sort of putting off Christmas until I go home next month for Australian Nationals. Killing two birds with one stone and all that.” The life of a competitive figure skater was never easy. Certain sacrifices always had to be made and sometimes the skater’s families had to pay the price for it too. “At least Regina’s dad is coming over for Christmas dinner,” Tink pointed out. “He’s a sweetheart. You’ll love him.”

Sure, Robin thought to himself. Meeting the father of the girl he was falling in love with. No pressure there. Except… maybe there wasn’t. To Regina’s father, Robin was only his daughter’s skating partner, not some brave young suitor asking for his daughter’s hand. As long as he didn’t let on that he was hoping for more than friendship and a partnership, Robin would be in the clear. But maybe he didn’t want to be in the clear. Maybe he wanted to take Regina out on a date. Maybe he even wanted to kiss her afterwards. Maybe he was having thoughts about his partner that he wasn’t supposed to be having.   
None of it mattered anyway. Regina was the one who had to decide if their partnership was to be a business partnership and nothing more. Robin was the leading man on the team, but the leading lady’s prerogative was the one that really mattered. So he would wait: wait and see if there was any small chance that she felt the same way he did. Whatever else happened, Robin was willing to wait for it because he knew Regina was worth waiting for.


	13. The Holiday Season

Regina Mills loved to sleep in on the rare occasions she was permitted to do so.

Christmas morning was one of those glorious occasions. After spending Christmas Eve nibbling on candy canes and drowning in eggnog, sleep had come very easily. Regina was used to getting out of bed before the sun was up, so being able to sleep in until 8:30 in the morning felt luxurious. It was a dangerous sort of luxury that she couldn’t afford, so she rolled out of bed and donned her favourite red sweater and comfy jeans before heading downstairs in search of breakfast.

Robin, also dressed for the holidays in a cozy forest green sweater, was making omelettes in the kitchen. “Happy Christmas milady,” he greeted her with one of his usual jovial smiles as he set the frying pan down. “Would you care for tea or coffee this morning?”  
“Tea please,” she requested as she slid onto a stool at the breakfast bar. “Is Tink up yet?”

Robin grinned and nodded in the direction of the living room. “She’s been eyeing that tree for the last half hour. She appears rather eager to open her presents.” His eyes twinkled as he slid the omelette out of the pan and onto a plate. “I tried those red pepper flakes this time, at your suggestion,” he added with a hint of pride. “I hope it’s good.”

Regina was touched. She knew a lot of cooks didn’t like to be told what to do. “My theory is that all foods can use some kick,” Regina said as she cut off a piece and tested it. “Mm. You did well.” Regina would never admit it, but Robin was probably a better cook than she was. Under different circumstances she would have been jealous, but it only increased her appreciation of him. 

After they finished eating, Regina and Robin joined Tink in the living room with their cups of tea. Tink was practically bouncing off the sofa in anticipation of opening presents. “You guys have to open your presents from me first!” she demanded before they’d even sat down. “I have to see the looks on your faces!”

“We’re supposed to do the stockings first,” Regina reminded her, but she relented when she saw the look on Tink’s overeager face. “Fine, fine. Presents first.”

Tink retrieved her gifts for her housemates from under the tree and sat back with a smug look on her face while they unwrapped them. Tink was fond of electronic gadgets and her gift-giving habits always reflected it. “A new docking speaker!” Regina exclaimed as she let the wrapping paper fall to the floor. “Oh Tink. This must have set you back a pretty penny.”

Tink only looked more pleased with herself upon hearing Regina’s praise. “I got some killer deals on Black Friday,” she admitted. “I almost got trampled but it was worth it.”

Regina set the speaker up on the coffee table while Robin unwrapped his present: two new pairs of high-end headphones. Robin had a bad habit of buying cheap headphones and watching them break. Tink theorized that he’d take better care of these because they were more expensive and because they were a gift. “You know me so well,” Robin said as he gave the small Australian girl a hug. “Happy Christmas, Tinker.”

“Happy Christmas to you too,” Tink responded. “Alright Regina, let’s do the stockings now.”

Last year, Snow had crocheted beautiful stockings for Regina and Tink. Robin’s store-bought stocking looked drab by comparison but it was stuffed with just as many goodies regardless. It felt sad not to have Snow with them, but having her hand-crafted stockings made it feel like their old housemate was still part of the proceedings. There were cards to open as well and miscellaneous gifts from other friends and family members. Soon the living room floor was decorated with a thin layer of wrapping paper and refuse while each of the housemates had piled their presents into three lopsided pyramids. Regina’s iPod was docked in the new speaker and a playlist of Christmas music was on low volume. Regina schooled her face into an expression of neutrality as Robin opened her gift. The box she’d wrapped it in didn’t give away the contents of the package, so Robin was momentarily flummoxed until he got the box open. “Oh brilliant! I had no idea they made pencil cases like this. And it’s stocked with enough pencils to last me until the end of the decade.” He looked up at Regina with an expression of such deep gratitude that her heart flopped over in her chest. When he wrapped her into a thank-you hug, his arms lingered around her for several seconds longer than a hug between friends should last (not that Regina minded.) When he let her go, Regina felt an odd sense of loss. She sank back down into her spot on the sofa and folded her hands in her lap. The Christmas playlist skipped to a song she didn’t like but she made no move to change it.

“You’ve still got two more to open.” Tink was digging through the basket of beauty supplies she’d been gifted by Regina, but she was still keeping a canny eye on the proceedings. 

“Two more?” Regina repeated, jolting herself out of her reverie. She glanced down at the little box and card at her feet. “I thought these two went together.”

“The box is from me,” Robin said shyly. “But the card was in our mailbox.”

That’s strange, Regina thought to herself as she picked up the box. She made a show of shaking it and testing the heaviness before untying the ribbon and ripping into the green wrapping paper. The box inside was unmarked. What could it be? She lifted the lid with trepidation. A note written on plain stationery was nestled on top of a small velvet box… oh lord, it was a jewellery box. It was too big to be a ring box but Regina’s breath caught in her throat nonetheless. Overcome by curiosity and suddenly unable to breathe properly, Regina read the note first to steady herself:

Dear Regina,  
No gift could ever equal the gratitude I feel for finding a partner as wonderful and talented as you. After learning of your fondness for horseback riding, I spotted this in a shop and couldn’t resist buying it for you.  
Happy Christmas, my Uptown Girl. I hope we will get to spend many more Christmases together.  
With love, from Robin.

Regina looked up to see him staring at her from across the room. He nodded encouragingly and lifted the lid of the velvet box. Inside, nestled on a bed of red and green confetti was a sterling silver necklace with a horseshoe-shaped pendant. “Oh, Robin. It’s gorgeous,” she murmured as she traced the shape of the horseshoe with a trembling finger. She lifted the necklace up to show Tink who went wide-eyed upon the sight of it. Robin, who had been looking nervous before she opened the gift, now looked infinitely relieved. The poor man must have been beating himself up worrying that she wouldn’t like it. To further relieve his stress, Regina tried the necklace on. It sat at the perfect length between her collarbones and when the light hit it from a certain angle, it sparkled. The strange card from the mailbox was forgotten for the moment and the doorbell rang a few minutes afterward. Regina rushed to answer it. A visitor to the townhouse on Christmas day could only mean one thing.

“Daddy!” Regina exclaimed as she embraced the man on the other side of the door. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“I am too, my girl,” Mr. Mills murmured as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “And I think you’ve grown since I last saw you.” His eyes twinkled.

“Ugh dad,” Regina sighed happily. “I’m 22. I stopped growing years ago.”

“Growing in wisdom and experience then,” Mr. Mills corrected. “My little girl is all grown up.” He spotted the necklace and a knowing smile appeared on his face. “What a pretty present. Let’s see what your friends are up to.” He moved toward the living room and Regina followed a half step behind. Tink and Robin had both jumped to their feet to greet Regina’s father. Tink was enthusiastic in her hellos but Robin was more subdued. He stood with his shoulders back and his spine completely straight. It was as if the ghost of an etiquette teacher from the last century was watching him. Regina wanted to laugh but Robin’s solemn expression as he shook her father’s hand made her suppress her mirth. Robin was nervous. Robin didn’t get nervous unless something potentially life changing was happening. Could it be that he considered meeting her father life-changing? It wasn’t like he was asking for her hand in marriage. He wasn’t even asking her to prom. 

Regina slid in beside Robin and laid a comforting hand on his forearm. “I’m so happy to finally have my two favourite men in a room together,” she said, and the tension cracked like a sheet of ice in the spring. Robin’s welcoming smile returned and soon the two men were chatting away affably.

“He seems like quite the gentleman,” Regina’s father remarked to her after Robin had excused himself to check on the cooking. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to go with you to any of your competitions this year,” Mr. Mills added in a different, more somber voice.

“You’ve already apologized for that,” Regina pointed out. “After the scare you had, you were just doing what the doctor advised.”

Mr. Mills shook his head. “I should have been there for you,” he said softly. “After everything you went through with that other boy…”

“I’m fine, dad. I promise.” And she was. She felt better physically than she had in months and she was on her way to feeling better mentally too. “I’m better than fine. I’m competing again, I have friends and a great partner… I’m finally happy again.”

“And I’m happy for you, my girl.” Mr. Mills gave his daughter another hug. “Your mother would be too if she was still here with us.”

Cora Mills had died when Regina was only five years old. There were times when Regina barely remembered her but the sudden prickle of tears in the corners of her eyes gave her away and Mr. Mills deflected the conversation artfully. “Let’s see what culinary creations your new young man has cooked up for us,” he suggested gently. “He must be a keeper if he can cook.”

Regina smiled and willed her tears not to fall. “I’m glad you like him, dad. He means a lot to me.”

Mr. Mills nodded knowingly. “I had a feeling he might, my girl.”

****

The rest of the holiday season passed by all too quickly. Tink was able to procure three tickets to a matinee of the new Star Wars movie and they all enjoyed it immensely. Robin had originally wanted to take Regina to the movie on his own, but Tink was a massive Star Wars fan and she wouldn’t entertain the notion of them seeing it without her. Tink got so caught up in the story that she talked of little else for days afterward. She dove into a plot to get her coach to let her skate to “Rey’s Theme” next season and Regina was happy to be a co-conspirator in the plan. 

The last bit of fun before they returned to the rigours of training was the annual New Year’s Eve party. Regina’s new necklace was the perfect complement to the black off-the-shoulder dress she would be wearing for the occasion. I really need to buy myself a dress that isn’t black, Regina thought to herself as she got ready for the soiree. It was an easy thing to get stuck in a rut of familiarity. A new year was about to start. She owed it to herself to keep an open mind about things. Maybe Robin could be one of those things. Her partner had been tugging hopefully on her heartstrings for months now. Regina could not say for certain when it started. Perhaps it was the first time he’d linked arms with her before they walked to the ice surface. Or maybe it started back when they were choosing music for their short dance and he’d waltzed her around the living room. Regardless of when or how, Robin had been making his way into her heart by degrees ever since the day they first skated together. Now his presence in her heart only expanded with every passing day. Regina touched the necklace again – she’d debated not wearing it for fear that it would give him the wrong idea, but in the end she’d opted in favour of it. It was a beautiful piece of jewellery and she was proud to wear it. Just as she was proud to call Robin her partner. Her partner and perhaps something more.

Regina carried her stiletto heels in her hand as she navigated her way down the stairs. She didn’t trust herself not to trip and with her ankle not being what it once was, she couldn’t afford to do any further damage to it. She put the shoes on once she reached the bottom and instantly grew five inches. She’d be precisely in Robin’s line of sight now, which was exactly where she wanted to be. Snow and David were the first to arrive for the party. The frostiness between Tink and Snow had dissolved over Christmas and the two girls hugged each other tightly before proceeding to squeal over each other’s dresses. David hung back, ever uncomfortable in the wake of anything too girly. Regina wondered how he was getting along with living with a woman in his apartment. Surely their bathroom must be overflowing with Snow’s mascara and blush collection. David cleverly extricated himself from the girl-talk and made a beeline for Robin. Hmm, Regina thought to herself. Prince Un-Charming had better not monopolize my partner’s time all evening. I’ll have to keep an eye on them.

Elsa was the next to arrive. She hovered nervously in the foyer when Regina welcomed her in. “That’s a beautiful dress,” Regina complimented as she hung Elsa’s coat in the hall closet. The Norwegian girl was wearing a vibrant turquoise number tonight that set off her light blonde hair and blue eyes to maximum effect. 

“Thank you,” Elsa said in her usual soft voice. “Yours is beautiful too. And I love your necklace.”

Regina felt her hand move instinctively in the direction of her horseshoe pendant. She’d already gotten a lot of compliments on it. Somewhere over her shoulder Regina could sense Tink hovering nearby. “Thank you – it was a Christmas present from my partner. Why don’t you step into the living room and I’ll introduce you to everyone,” Regina suggested, beckoning to Elsa to follow her. “Have you met Snow and David?”  
Elsa shook her head demurely. “No, but I think David knows my sister.”

“That’s right!” David recalled. “We met at the Grand Prix in France.”

“And that young lady sitting on the sofa with my partner Robin is Tina Kerr – you might know her as Tink.” Regina pointed Tink out to Elsa. “She’s a big fan of your work.”

Elsa blushed ever so slightly as Regina led her over to the sofa. Robin greeted them warmly with a quick hug for Regina and a handshake for Elsa. Tink remained silent during the exchange – a far cry from her usual talkative nature. Poor thing, Regina lamented. Too much pressure. She skillfully drew Robin away and left the two girls to talk amongst themselves.

“That wasn’t subtle at all, was it?” Regina murmured once she and Robin were across the room and out of earshot.

“Perhaps not, but they seem to be getting along famously now that we’re not hovering over them.” Robin nodded in Elsa and Tink’s direction and Regina was relieved to see that the girls were now conversing easily. “The hors d’oeuvres should be just about ready. Let’s get them passed around and open the champagne.”

“Yes, let’s do,” Regina agreed. “And I’ll turn up the music too. Hopefully we can get some dancing started.”

“You look lovely this evening,” Robin told Regina as they artfully arranged the hors d’oeuvres on a serving tray. “I’m glad you like the necklace.”

Regina found herself touching the pendant again. She dropped it quickly but not before her cheeks had turned red. “Thank you,” she whispered. She made a move to pick up the serving tray but the doorbell rang and startled her. “I’ll… I’ll go get that,” she stammered as she rushed out of the kitchen. Get a hold of yourself, she scolded herself as she unlocked the door. He’s just a guy. No need to get all flustered like you used to in high school when you still had glasses and braces. You’re an adult now. Get a grip. Regina plastered her most winning smile on her face and wrenched open the door. Mal’s presence on the front porch seeped over the threshold before the tall blonde had even entered the house. Her petite girlfriend followed half a step behind.

“Regina darling!” Mal exclaimed as she kissed Regina on both cheeks. “We brought wine. This is Briar Rose.” The two women exchanged quick hellos before Mal went on. “And you look gorgeous as usual. New jewellery?” she inquired as Regina took their coats.

“Christmas present from my partner,” Regina said after the coats were safely secured in the little closet. She hoped Mulan and Bonnie didn’t have big puffy coats like the two she’d just handled or else the closet might explode.

“Your very cute partner,” Mal remarked as Robin appeared with his hors d’oeuvre tray as if he’d been summoned. 

Robin beamed at them. “Good evening, ladies. You both look wonderful tonight. Would you care for some canapes?” 

Mal was already reaching an elegantly manicured hand toward the finger foods. “Don’t mind if I do. Are we the last to arrive?”

Regina shook her head. “We’re still waiting on Mulan and her date.”

Mal looked relieved. “Good. I hope you’re ready for a bit of extra fun tonight.” Her eyes twinkled knowingly.

“Extra fun?” Robin inquired politely. His voice had an air of innocence but there was a twinkle in his eyes as well.

Briar Rose sighed and gave Mal a playful little nudge. “My girlfriend brought her Cards Against Humanity deck. She wants to know who here has the filthiest mind.”

Mal grinned and bared her teeth. “I’m betting it’s not going to be Snowflake and Prince Pretty Boy.”

Robin considered this. “I don’t know about that. David is a seasoned practitioner of ‘that’s what she said’ jokes. He might surprise you.”

Mal looked mildly surprised. “Well, well. Perhaps I underestimated him.” She took Briar Rose’s hand. “Let’s go say hello.”

Mal and Briar Rose moved off just as the doorbell sounded again. Mulan and Bonnie came bearing gifts as well: a pretty bouquet of red and white flowers and some sugar-free desserts. “My mother is a strong believer in hostess gifts,” Mulan explained as Regina hung up their coats in the now overstuffed closet. She seemed a bit unsure of herself, as if she didn’t get asked to many parties. Regina made a mental note to invite her over more often.

“They look very tasty,” Regina reassured her. “Come on into the living room. Mal brought Cards Against Humanity.”

“Oh, I love that game!” Bonnie, Mulan’s date for the evening, piped up. 

Regina smiled wickedly. “Then you’re in for a treat. Mal doesn’t hold back.”

Bonnie looked determined. “Bring it on.”

Robin slid into place next to Regina after she had deposited the tray of snacks on the coffee table. Their guests were dispersed in every corner of the room: Snow and David were swaying to the music in the far corner, Mal and Briar Rose were chatting with Bonnie and Mulan in the middle of the room and Elsa and Tink were talking away like long lost friends on the sofa. Robin leaned in to whisper in Regina’s ear. “So far, so good,” he remarked. “The hors d’oeuvres went over quite well. I’ve got the second batch in the oven already.”

“Good. In the meantime, we can get the card game started.” Regina caught Mal’s eye across the room and gave her a nod of approval. “I hope you’ve got the mental stamina for his game, Locksley. Now is not the time to be a gentleman.”

Robin pretended to look scandalized before shifting his expression to a cocky smirk. “As you wish, milady. Lead on.”

Regina took his hand and pulled him over to the table. In anticipation of giving everyone a place to sit, Regina had set up comfy cushions around the sides of the coffee table. She took one of those spaces now and gestured to Robin to sit next to her. “So I can keep an eye on you,” she said with a suggestive waggle of her eyebrows. 

Once the wine had been poured and everyone had a full plate of snacks, Mal took the liberty of dealing ten white cards to each player. “Any house rules we’d like to follow?” she asked as she laid the remaining cards face down on the table.

“We usually play to 20,” Mulan piped up. “But I’ve never played with a group this big before.”

“Let’s play to fifteen to start,” Briar Rose suggested. 

Snow looked very distressed about the entire endeavour. “I don’t know, guys. Maybe I could just keep score…”

“Why don’t you and I play as a team?” David suggested.

Snow looked infinitely relieved and returned her cards to the pile. “Two heads are better than one, after all.”

Robin cleared his throat. “That’s what she said.”

Everyone dissolved into laughter and Mal shot Regina a dirty look. “Reign in your partner there, Mills. The game hasn’t even started yet.” She turned her attention to Snow. “Since you’re our scorekeeper, you can also have the honour of deciding who should be Card Czar.”

Snow and David exchanged a quick look. “We’ll be the first Card Czar.”

Mal nodded. “Suit yourselves. Let the games begin!”

Snow grinned and turned over the first black card. 

****

The game was a whirlwind of inappropriate jokes and mature content, aided and abetted by several glasses of red wine and a rousing soundtrack, curtesy of Regina’s new docking speaker. Regina tried her best to come up with the cleverest card combinations but by the end of the night it was sweet, demure Elsa who shocked everyone with her x-rated sense of humour. Mal was impressed and Tink was completely smitten. 

“What a woman! I think I’m in love,” Tink murmured, her voice slightly slurred from the alcohol.

Perhaps it was the wine or just nature taking its course, but everyone seemed lovely-dovey tonight. Snow perched on David’s knee and advised him on the best cards to play. Mulan and Bonnie held hands and Mal and Briar Rose kept exchanging glances that were loaded with innuendo and the promise of more once they were alone. Regina, who hadn’t had a drink since before her accident, found herself leaning closer and closer to Robin with each sip of wine and by the end of the game he had to put an arm around her waist to prop her up. 

“I’m so sorry,” she mumbled as she helped Robin carry the empty serving trays back to the kitchen sometime after midnight. She’d abandoned her high heels hours ago, not trusting her senses to keep upright. “I’m not usually such a lightweight.” Her head took a sudden spin, so she dropped the plates on the counter and grabbed the ledge to steady herself. 

Robin was at her side in an instant. “Steady on, milady. You’ll be alright after a proper night’s sleep.” He reached around her to pick up the plates and his arm brushed against her side. He made a move to withdraw but she caught his arm and held it there. He had such strong, muscular arms… what would those arms feel like wrapped around her? Regina let her gaze fall to his lips and she started to lean toward him. What would it be like to kiss a man with facial hair? She wondered. Perhaps it was high time she found out…

Robin turned his head away and her lips caught his cheek instead. “Regina…” His voice was low and nervous. “I don’t think we should do this now.” 

Regina pulled away reluctantly. “Why not.”

Robin took her hand instead. “Because you’re under the influence. If something happens between us, I want us both to be clear-eyed and sober when it does.”

Regina pouted. “I don’t even get a New Year’s kiss?”

Robin smiled and brushed a stray hair away from her face. “How about… a peck on the cheek for now and a proper kiss tomorrow when you’re back to your old self?” he suggested gently. 

Regina relented. “Fine.”

Breathing a sigh of infinite relief, Robin reached toward her and traced his thumb along her jawline before leaning in to press a quick kiss to her left cheek. It was over in an instant but the spot where he’d kissed her seemed to burn with promise.

“Until tomorrow then, milady.” He wanted to walk away, but he took her hand instead and planted another quick kiss there. 

“Looking forward to it,” she called after him. Her heart was beating furiously in her chest and her face felt like it was on fire. Regina wandered up the stairs in the daze and collapsed on the bed still fully clothed. If he could get her this riled up from one chaste kiss on the cheek, what was is going to be like when he kissed her on the lips? Even though her head was still swimming, Regina fell asleep that night with a smile on her face.


	14. Nationals

The harsh morning light filtering in through the blinds on Regina’s bedroom window made her head pound. How much did she drink last night? Not enough to feel like this. Regina forced herself to sit up and the pain dissipated ever so slightly. What the hell? She touched the top of her head and realised she hadn’t bothered to take the pins out of her hair last night. Oh. No wonder she felt like a skater was doing a Riverdance routine on her head. Regina stumbled to her dresser and sat down heavily in front of the vanity. Her face, pale from sleep and still smeared with last night’s makeup, taunted her from the mirror. 

She’d been dreaming about Robin before the light had woken her. The thought of him made her wince: she’d completely humiliated herself in front of him last night by getting wasted and coming onto him like that. She used to be able to hold her drink better than that. But that was before her injury. Alcohol had been banned while she was recovering and taking pain medications, so the tolerance she’d built up for it had evaporated. The memory of trying to kiss Robin and being gently rebuffed was fuzzy around the edges but she didn’t dare pull the thread. Not if it meant unravelling the depth of her feelings for him.

Regina Mills did not fall easily. She’d only been in love once in her life: with Daniel, her high school boyfriend. Or at least she thought it had been love, or whatever form of love a seventeen year old girl was capable of feeling. Daniel had been sweet and kind like Robin, but he never understood why Regina loved skating so much. He didn’t have a calling in life that consumed his soul the way skating consumed Regina’s. They’d gone their separate ways after graduation and while they had kept in touch initially, that had all changed when he met a girl at college and fell hard for her. Now Regina had to force herself not to look him up on Facebook to see how he was doing. He’s probably engaged to that girl now, she thought bitterly. Good for them. They’ll probably have tons of cute babies with his pretty eyes…

The thought made her stomach take a turn. For one fateful moment Regina thought she might throw up, but the feeling subsided. Forget this. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and move on with my life! Regina scolded herself. She forced herself to stand up and walk the short distance to the bathroom, where she washed the dregs of yesterday’s mascara and eyeliner off her face and gave her teeth a quick pass with a toothbrush. She pulled the bobby pins out of her hair and threw them in the trash. She had loads more and these ones felt cursed now. She wasn’t sorry to see them go. As if to emphasize the point, she hopped in the shower and gave her hair a thorough shampooing and conditioning.

Getting dressed was more of a challenge: she hadn’t even changed into pyjamas last night and it seemed silly to put them on now. She opted for sweatpants and a slouchy sweater instead, surveying her appearance in the mirror as she did. She still looked sloppy, but at least she was clean and sober. If he doesn’t want me now, he doesn’t deserve me, she decided. Regina crept to the top of the stairs and pressed herself against the wall. She could hear voices on the floor below. She strained her ears and was able to pick up Tink’s familiar Aussie lilt. Robin must be down there too, unless Tink’s developed and overnight habit of talking to herself, Regina surmised. But when she got to the main floor, Tink was alone. She wasn’t talking to herself, she was talking on the phone. Where’s Robin? Regina mouthed. Tink shrugged and shook her head.

Maybe he’s flown the coop, she fretted. Maybe I scared him off for good this time. She wandered into the kitchen under a cloud of dejection and poured herself a bowl of cereal. As she ate, the sound of Tink’s voice continued to wash over her. Tink was giggling about something with the person on the other end of the line – giggling! Such an indecent, inconsiderate, entirely too happy sound for so early in the morning. Regina crunched her cereal more aggressively to drown it out. To add to her misery, Tink finished up her conversation and breezed into the kitchen while Regina was still eating. Oblivious to Regina’s discomfort, Tink plopped herself down on a stool at the breakfast bar and rested in chin in her hands. 

“What’s wrong with you?” Regina grumbled. “You’re acting all perky. It’s disconcerting. Cut it out.”

Tink gave her a pitying look. “You’d be perky too if you had a date with a cute blonde lined up.”

“Oh my God!” Regina exclaimed, suddenly forgetting her own troubles. “You and Elsa?”

Tink nodded, grinning like a fool all the while. “We’re going to wait until after she gets back from the European Championships, but… yes. I have a date.”

Regina’s anger melted away. At least she’d done something right by introducing the two girls. “That’s wonderful!” she cheered as she hugged Tink. “I’m so glad the two of you hit it off.”

Tink tried to brush Regina off but her flushed cheeks gave her away. She took something out of her jeans pocket and laid it on the counter. “Before I forget, we found this under the sofa last night after you went to bed.” It was the mysterious envelope that had been left in their mailbox before Christmas. Regina had forgotten all about it. “Mal nearly impaled it with her stiletto,” Tink added.

Regina ran her finger along the seam of the envelope and turned it over. “No return address,” she noted. She used her nails to rip into it, being careful not to tear the stationery inside in the process. It looked like an ordinary Christmas card, but when she opened it, her breath hitched. She’d seen this writing before. Even without the return address, she knew exactly where the person who sent the card lived.

“Who?” Tink started to say but Regina waved her off. 

“I’m going back upstairs.” Regina slid off her barstool and practically sprinted up the steps, leaving poor Tink to wonder what the matter was. But Tink wasn’t one to be so easily brushed off. She waited a full minute to give Regina enough time to read the letter inside the card before she padded up the stairs after her. Tink knocked on the first door she came to – not Regina’s door, but Robin’s.

Robin was dozing peacefully when the insistent knocking on his door roused him from slumber. He threw back the covers and started toward the door before he remembered he was wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts. “Yes, damn it. Just a minute.” He grabbed a t-shirt from the clean laundry pile and tugged it over his head before wrenching the door open. “Tinker!” he exclaimed when he saw her standing there. Tink wouldn’t be pounding on his door if it wasn’t important. “What’s going on? Is it Regina?” 

Tink nodded. “Remember that letter that was in out mailbox? The one Mal found last night?”

Robin nodded and stepped into the hallway. “Of course. Who was it from? Was it bad news?”

Tink shook her head. “I don’t know. Regina bolted up to her room before I could ask her. I thought maybe you should be the one to talk to her. You’re better than me with the touchy feely stuff.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Robin protested, but Tink was insistent.

“Trust me. She’d much rather hear from you than me.”

Robin sighed. “Fine. Just… let me put some trousers on first.”

Tink’s expression turned sly. “I don’t think she’d mind.”

Robin held firm. “Trousers first.”

Once he was appropriately attired, Robin made the short trip down the hallway to Regina’s locked bedroom door. He rapped lightly and listened for signs of life. “Milady? Are you alright in there?”

There was a shuffling noise and the door slid open a crack. “You can come in if you want to,” Regina said in a voice so soft it made her sound younger, more vulnerable. “There’s something I’d like your opinion on anyway.”

Curious, Robin followed her into the room. Even though they’d been living in the same house for almost a month, this was the first time he’d been in Regina’s room. The small space was tastefully decorated with black and white décor with a little splash of red for contrast. Regina sat down on her neatly made bed and gestured for him to sit beside her. The card and letter lay on the mattress between them. “When I saw who this was from, I didn’t know what to think.” Regina pushed the letter toward him. “Read it. Please tell me I’m not just being paranoid.”

Robin unfolded the note and let his eyes drop to the signature at the bottom. “Oh. It’s from…”

“Jefferson,” Regina finished for him. 

Robin shifted uncomfortably. A note from his partner’s ex-partner seemed very personal. “Are you sure you want me to read this?” 

Regina was nonchalant. “I’m not stopping you.”

It wasn’t the affirmative he would have wanted, but Robin took a deep breath and read the letter anyway:

Dear Regina,  
You once told me I was better with actions than with words and you were right. I’m hoping a written note will enable me to express myself better than I ever could out loud.  
I did a terrible thing to you. I don’t expect you to ever forgive me, but I need you to know from the depths of my soul that I’m sorry. I know you told me to move on and find a new partner and I’m happy and grateful for everything I’ve achieved with Alice, but what I did to you will haunt me for the rest of my days. I hope when we meet at Nationals it will be on better terms than the last time we saw each other. I’m glad you found someone else to chase our Olympic dream with. I hope we both make it in the end.  
-Jefferson

Robin looked up after reading the last line and saw Regina’s eyes were trained firmly on him. “What the hell does he mean by this? If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was trying to mess with my head before we have to compete against each other again,” she said darkly.

Robin wasn’t convinced. He’d been moved by Jefferson’s words and was inclined to think him sincere. But he knew to trust Regina’s intuition as well. She’d been correct about Guin and Lancelot’s coach and Snow’s father. She’d even been right about Elsa and Tink hitting it off. But as much as he trusted her, he couldn’t help thinking her judgement was clouded this time by the resentment she was still carrying for her ex-partner.

“You think I’m crazy, don’t you.” Regina snatched the note out of his hand and stuffed it back inside the card. 

Robin reached out to slow her angry hands. “I would never think that.”

Regina stilled. Her hands were freezing so Robin clasped them within his own to give her a bit of warmth. “What do you think, then?”

This was a new kind of distress. Robin had grown accustomed to being a shoulder for Regina to lean on when her insecurities got the better of her, but this felt different. Was it possible that despite her miraculous physical recovery, Jefferson’s betrayal had damaged her more deeply than anyone realised? Robin didn’t want to upset her further so chose his next words with the utmost care. “I think your old partner had his heart in the right place. He meant for you to see that note at Christmastime when you were riding high on holiday revelry and goodwill. I fear that seeing it now, when Nationals are only two weeks away, has tainted the original intent.”

He’s right again, Regina thought. Why is he always right? “What should I do?” she whispered. 

Robin let go of her hands and pulled her into his arms. “You mean what should we do. We’re in this together, Regina. You’re my partner. If you’re upset about this, you don’t have to bear it alone. Let me help you.”

Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes again as Regina wrapped her arms around Robin’s waist. “I don’t want to feel this way anymore,” she whispered. “I’ve worked too hard to be thrown off by something like this.”

Robin had seen the evidence of Regina’s hard work. He went to the rink with her every day and guided her through the steps and turns of their step sequences and compulsory patterns, the dizzying spins and twizzles, the dangerous lifts and everything in between. He’d seen her covered in sweat from doing her circuit around the weight room and doing plies at the barre in the dance studio. She was more hardworking and determined than anyone he’d ever known. “Do you want me to talk to him for you?” he asked softly. “Point him to me. I’ll be happy to have more than a conversation.”

Regina shook her head. “I wish it were that simple. Let’s say everything goes to plan for the next two years and the US earns three spots in ice dance for the 2018 Olympics. Unless something really unforeseen happens, one of those spots will be ours, one of them will go to Swan and Jones and one will go to Alice and Jefferson. We still have to put up with him for the next two seasons after this one.”

“So we should just be civil and bear it?” Robin was always inclined to be civil, but right now he was more interested in socking Jefferson in the jaw than being polite. Civility be damned. The man needed to pay for putting his partner in distress.

But Regina’s expression had shifted. It was amazing how she could turn on a dime from despair to renewed vigour. Her resilience always astounded him. “Who said anything about being civil? It’s a competition, Robin. What do you do in a competition?”

“You try your hardest to win.”

Regina nodded. “Right. Which is exactly what I intend to do. Are you with me?”

“You’re my partner. I’m always with you.”

****

In the weeks before Nationals in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Mills and Locksley trained harder than they had ever trained before. Even though they had two Grand Prix events under their competitive belt, which exempted them from having to qualify for Nationals via Regional and Sectional events, they still had to prove themselves at the national level. Only three ice dance teams would be going to the World Championships in Boston, which meant Regina and Robin had to come in third or better at Nationals to earn one of those spots. And coming in third would be no easy feat. In Regina’s absence from competition the year before, a team called Aurelius and Jameson had made a splash at the national level. They hadn’t fared as well on the Grand Prix this season, managing only two fourth-place finishes at their events, but in the eyes of many fans they were still the favourites for the bronze medal at Nationals.

“Fans are fickle,” Robin reminded Regina when they got off the plane in Saint Paul. “This is what happens when a skater is forced to go away for a while.”

“I was only away for a year,” Regina grumbled. “And we kicked ass on the Grand Prix.” Regina liked to talk tough to cover up her insecurities. The more uncertain she was, the more bravado she put into her speech. 

“We did indeed,” Robin agreed. “And we’ll kick arse here too.”

Regina laughed lightly and gave him a playful little nudge. “You’re so cute when you use your British-isms.”

Robin nudged her right back. “And you’re cute when you’re talking tough. It’s rather sexy, if I may say so.”

He hadn’t forgotten about his plan to kiss her. Things had gotten intense on New Year’s Day and they’d both agreed to hold off until after Nationals to take their relationship to the next level. Oh how he wished he’d made good on his promise not to be a gentleman and snogged her senseless on New Year’s Eve! When they weren’t training he thought of little else but the promise of her lips against his and her arms wrapped around him. It was maddening to have her so close and so far.

Also maddening were the life-sized posters of Alice Marvella and Jefferson Gardiner that were on display around the arena. As the reigning National Champions in ice dance, all of the press and media coverage was focused on them. The other teams were lucky if they got one sentence in a newspaper article. Even Swan and Jones, who had been so successful on the Grand Prix, were second rate here. But that would not be the case for long. There were new champions to be crowned and everyone was gunning for a spot on the podium.

Regina and Robin skipped out on watching the novice and junior-level skaters compete in favour of getting in some last minute practice and gym time. Once she entered the competitive zone, Regina didn’t have a single ounce of excess energy to spend on anything else. Robin was similarly inclined. He was so single minded about competing that he forgot to be mad at Jefferson. Regina’s ex-partner had been keeping himself scarce, presumably on purpose. When Jefferson slouched into the men’s change room on the afternoon of the short dance with downcast eyes, Robin ignored him on principle. Let’s do our talking on the ice, he thought as he laced up his skates. Let them bore everyone to tears with their Masquerade Waltz. We’ll see who comes out on top.

All of the guys in the dressing room were cordial but not overly polite. Killian Jones gave Robin a nod of encouragement but the two young men did not exchange words. Frederick Jameson sat apart from the others and kept his headphones in the entire time. The scene in the women’s dressing room was one degree less frosty. Regina exchanged vague pleasantries with Emma and Kathryn Aurelius. She even said hello to Alice, but the greeting was accompanied by one of her signature game face smiles. Alice murmured a salutation in response but her eyes were trained firmly on the floor the entire time. This was why they called Regina the Ice Queen. Depending on who you were and what she thought of you, she could either burn you with her words or freeze you out with her attitude. Regina Mills was a force of nature and her powers were elemental. You either learned to weather her storm or have it sweep you away with its destructive force.

“There’s a loose sequin on my shoulder,” Regina hissed to Ursula while she waited in the holding area to step onto the ice for the warmup. 

Ursula was having none of Regina’s melodramatics today. “Regina. Honey. Look at me.”

Regina turned and gave her coach a withering look that would have frightened anyone else into submission.

Ursula was unfazed. She was used to Regina’s quirks after years of working with her. “You’re fine. Your sequins are fine.” Ursula gave the offending sequin a little tug for emphasis and it stayed in place. “Why do you think I had Mal’s assistant go over the entire thing again? You’re good to go, baby. You’re gonna knock ‘em dead. They won’t even see you coming.”

Regina felt another nervous swoop in her stomach. Her sports psychologist had gone over some breathing techniques and mantras with her when they finally had a chance to meet and Regina ran herself through a quick series of calming exercises to focus her disparate energies. Ursula stepped away and Robin took her place. “No need to be nervous, milady. I’m right here.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I just want this to be over. This is Nationals, for God’s sake! It’s not supposed to be as stressful as this.”

Robin placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her an encouraging squeeze. “You’re stressed because you still feel like you have something to prove. I get that. I have something to prove too. This is my first Nationals competing for America. But I know I’ll do well if I have you by my side.”

Of course he was stressed too, Regina thought guiltily. He was a long way from home, competing for a country that he was a dual citizen of but had been living in for less than a year. He had more reason to be nervous and on edge than she did, and here she was, making it all about herself again. She turned in his arms and reached up to give him a quick hug for reassurance. “I’m here for you,” she whispered in his ear. “We’re going to go out there and wow everyone.”

Robin smiled and cupped a gentle hand around the back of her head. “Thank you, Regina. For believing in us.”

She shook her head. “Don’t thank me yet. You were the one who believed in us first. I should be thanking you. For putting up with me. I know I’m not the easiest partner to have...”

“Nothing about this sport is easy,” Robin said quietly. “But it’s easier knowing that you’re in it with the right person.”

The announcer’s voice shattered their embrace and the couples all scrambled to the ice surface. Regina and Robin were the last out: they had to wait for Aurelius and Jameson to clear the path before they stepped out on the freshly cleaned ice. “They’re a bit of a snobby pair,” Robin remarked as the tall blonde and her broad-shouldered partner skated out of the way. “I’m surprised Jameson remembered to take his headphones out.”

They’re moving slowly today, Regina noticed. Time to pounce. Regina smirked as they rounded the corner and Robin led them through the opening steps of the pattern dance. She remembered Kathryn’s tired eyes in the change room and took the sympathetic stance for a change. “I’m sure they’re just as stressed out as we are. There are four teams vying for three spots for the World Championships. No matter what happens here, a good team is going to be left at home.”

“Let’s make sure it’s not us,” Robin said as they made it around the third key point. 

The warmup proceeded without incident. The couples managed to stay out of each other’s way and they cleared the ice promptly when the announcer told them to. Regina and Robin stayed on the ice alone. Being first out in the final group was not ideal: if the judges were stingy today, they could end up in fourth place if the teams ahead of them all skated better.

But today was not the day for failure. Mills and Locksley’s short dance went by the book and their score was good enough to put them in a precarious third-place position in the standings. But Aurelius and Jameson were right on their heels, less than half a point behind. Ursula and John were not pleased. “The technical controller was stingy on the pattern dance key points today,” John remarked after the detailed marks breakdown was published.

“But you finally upped your grade of execution on the twizzles,” Ursula pointed out. “We’re still in fighting form for tomorrow.”

The high stakes did not allow for a deep and restful sleep that night. Both partners dozed fitfully: Regina had one of her usual bad dreams and Robin’s nervous stomach pains reared their ugly head in the morning. Both were noncommittal when they walked arm in arm to the ice surface for the free dance on Saturday afternoon. The other teams were similarly arrayed: Alice and Jefferson stood in a tight huddle with their coaches, talking in hushed voices that no one else could hear. Emma and Killian stood off to the side doing stretches and breathing exercises. Kathryn and Frederick were leaning against each other, both looking like they hadn’t slept in days. You’re not the only one under pressure here, Regina reminded herself. There’s a lot riding on this for everyone.

Kathryn Aurelius and Frederick Jameson were first to skate in the final warmup group. Regina and Robin remained backstage until they were called to the holding area to await their turn. They arrived just as Kathryn and Frederick were finishing their second step sequence. Both skaters looked fatigued – Kathryn in particular – but determined as the forced themselves to complete the series of quick steps and turns that led to their final lift and ending pose. The audience roared their approval. A good number of people even got to their feet as Kathryn and Frederick remained frozen at centre ice. They appeared to be having an intense conversation and Frederick was rubbing Kathryn’s back as she trembled against him. Hurry up and bow, Regina thought. You’re cutting into our warmup time!

Kathryn and Frederick finally skated off and Regina bolted out onto the ice. Robin had to dig in with his toe picks and hop a few steps to catch up with her. “Patience, milady. We’ll get our time to shine.”  
Kathryn and Frederick’s score was high – close to 100 points – but Regina barely registered the lofty number. Scores at Nationals tended to be inflated to anywhere between five and ten points higher than what an international panel of judges would give out. Their own short dance score the day before was higher than anything they’d achieved on the Grand Prix. The scores didn’t matter as much here. It was the placements that counted. They had to give it their all and leave the judges no room to doubt their ability. Mills and Locksley flew into their free dance with a furious level of passion that they had never achieved before. The steps were cleaner, their edges were deeper and their movements were more fluid than ever before. The audience was already on their feet when Regina threw herself into her ending pose. It was by far and away their best performance to date and everyone in the stadium knew it.

Regina threw her arms around Robin and he pulled her into a tight hug as the audience clapped and cheered for them. “That was perfect!” she murmured as they skated off to the Kiss and Cry. “You were amazing.”  
“You were pretty amazing yourself,” Robin returned as he bent down to pick up a bouquet of flowers that and adoring fan had thrown onto the ice. He made a little bow and presents the flowers to Regina. “For you, milady.”

Regina giggled and accepted the bouquet. “Why thank you, kind sir. They’re beautiful.” They proceeded to meet their coaches at the boards. 

“I’m predicting a personal best score,” Robin said as they put on their skate guards.

“Everyone gets personal bests at Nationals,” Regina scoffed but she still jumped out of her seat a few minutes later when their score came up. “We’re in the 100 club!”

Robin remained frozen on the couch while Regina waved to the still-cheering crowd. He was too in shock to get up right away and when he finally did, Regina wrapped a supportive arm around his waist. “We did it!” she squealed as she cozied up against him. “We’re in the lead and there’s only two teams left to skate. We can finish no lower than third!”

Robin let her words and his own euphoria wash over him like a wave of pure happiness. Third place at Nationals their first year together! It was more than just a medal: it was a guarantee of a trip to the Four Continents Championship in February and the World Championships in March. All their hard work had paid off in dividends. His career was finally back on track and he had the best partner he could ask for. In that moment, Robin Locksley felt like the luckiest man alive.

He remembered very little of the hour that followed. Marvella and Gardiner won the national title again, but Swan and Jones were hot on their heels. In fact, the scores of the top three teams were separated by the smallest of margins. Regina was ecstatic. They were closing the gap, little by little. A year from now they could be in the mix not just for the podium fight but for the coveted gold medal.  
The free dance was followed by the medal ceremony and a media press conference with the medalists. Robin was still too overcome to do much talking so he let Regina take the lead as he watched her in awe. She was a brilliant public speaker when she chose to be. She was even complimentary to the other medalists. “I’m so proud of you,” he whispered in the hallway after the press conference was over. “I half expected you to call Jefferson Gardiner out for being a rotten wanker in front of all those reporters.”

Regina was digging through her skate bag looking for something so she looked up in confusion when Robin started to talk. “I can’t find my spare skate guards,” she muttered. “I must have left them in the dressing room.” She glanced up at him guiltily. “Do you mind waiting for me while I run back and get them? Then we can take the shuttle bus together.”

In that moment, Robin would have done anything for her. “Of course, Regina. Go. I’ll hold your bag.”

Regina gawked at him. “Really? You want to hold my bag?”

His bit his lip and ducked his head shyly. “Really.”

Regina shook her head and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “You’re a saint for putting up with me. I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be here,” he called to her retreating back. Her bag wasn’t heavy, but it was purple and white and distinctly feminine. He tested its weight by shifting the bag onto his shoulder. Yes, there it was. It was the slightest bit heavier today because Regina’s bronze medal was tucked inside.

We can start mining for silver next year, he thought dreamily as he waited for her. He wondered what sort of programs Ursula and John would try to push on them next season. Maybe with all their success, the coaches would let the skaters have a bit more creative freedom. Maybe they could do something like Guin and Lancelot’s Woodkid program. Or maybe something from a modern film soundtrack. Now all he needed was an excuse to cozy up with Regina and watch movies. He could pass it off as research for next year’s free dance…

His phone buzzed and Robin set Regina’s bag down reluctantly to check it. It was a text from Will:

Will: congrats on the medal, brother! I knew you had it in you, ya cheeky bastard.

Touched by the quick response, Robin texted back.

Robin: you stayed up late to watch us?

Will: you bet your arse we did. And you were bloody brilliant. Much better than S&J. And that overrated M&G.

Robin: I wouldn’t go that far, but thanks mate. Good luck at the Euro Championships! Say hi to Ana for me.

Will: will do, brother. Say hi to your lovely lady for us too ;)

Robin couldn’t stop smiling as he put his phone back in his pocket. He pondered Will and Ana’s chances at Euros – the competition would be stiff, with them having to compete against Guinevere and Lancelot, but he was feeling optimistic that both teams could fend off the Russian and Italian contenders. He was full of so much goodwill that when his phone vibrated again he assumed it was another congratulatory message.

But it was not. It was a panicked text from Regina:

Regina: come to the women’s dressing room right now. Someone needs help!

Robin’s head spun and his stomach dropped. 

Regina was in trouble.

He picked up her bag and ran.


	15. Kathryn's Confession

When Regina entered the women’s change room that evening, she expected it to be empty. She didn’t even expect that the lights would still be on. The ladies freeskate had just started, so the girls would be backstage by now instead of lingering in the dressing room area. 

But the dressing room was not empty and the florescent lights beat down their unflattering luminescence on the scene. Amid the bags and scattered possessions of the singles skaters sat a beautiful blonde girl with her head in her hands. Regina stopped cold upon the sight of her. The girl wasn’t making any noises, but her shoulders were shaking and her back was so hunched she was practically bent in half. The girl wasn’t just crying: she was sobbing her heart out.

Regina cleared her throat but the girl didn’t move a millimetre. “Kathryn? Kathryn Aurelius?” Regina tried her name uncertainly. She’d only met Kathryn two days ago at their first practice session. They were barely on a first name basis and yet… seeing another skater in such obvious distress made Regina’s euphoria of standing on the podium evaporate. I’m probably the last person she wants to see right now, Regina fretted. I just beat her. She won’t want to talk to me.

But Kathryn raised her head and her haunted empty eyes seemed to burn straight through to Regina’s soul. “Oh my God, Regina. It’s so awful.”

Regina moved to sit next to the distraught girl on the change room bench. “What’s wrong, Kathryn? What happened?” For a skater to cry like this, it had to be more than heartbreak or disappointment. This was how Regina had cried when she’d been in the ambulance driving to the hospital. These were the tears of intense pain. The kind of pain that only came from a skating injury. “Did you… hurt yourself during the free dance?” Regina asked as delicately as she was able to. She must have with the way she was huffing and puffing through the last minute of the program, Regina recalled. Poor thing. It’s a wonder she was able to finish.

Kathryn shook her head. “No. I was injured before I got here.” She straightened her back and looked Regina right in the eyes. Her smeared mascara cut ugly tracks down her beautiful face and Regina was about to reach for a tissue before she realised she’d left her bag with Robin. All she had in the pockets of her Team USA jacket were her cellphone and a pack of gum.

There were a lot of reasons why a skater would choose to compete while they were injured. Sometimes the severity of the injury wasn’t enough to affect the entire program. Most skaters continued to push themselves through minor aches and pains. This was the nature of the sport. If you weren’t hurting a little, you weren’t working hard enough. “What is it?” Regina asked gently. She gave up on the hunt for tissues and used her sleeve to dry Kathryn’s eyes instead. “A sprain? A pulled muscle?”

Kathryn shook her head. “If only it were something that mundane.” She paused to try to gauge Regina’s reaction. “If I tell you something, will you promise not to repeat it? Only a few people know about this and I’m not ready to tell the world yet. But you… I can trust you, right? You came back serious injury, you know what’s at stake…”

“Of course.” Regina nodded. “What’s wrong?”

Kathryn sighed and rested her hands on her knees. “I have compartment syndrome. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome, to be precise.” 

Regina gasped. CECS was a big deal. “Oh my God, Kathryn. Isn’t that what the Canadian gold medalist from the Vancouver Olympics had?”

Saying the words out loud seemed to make Kathryn more comfortable. She nodded in affirmation. “I have the exact same thing. It flared up during the off-season. I started to get these horrible pains in my shins and my calves. At first the doctors thought it was just shin splints but when the pain kept getting worse, they referred me to a specialist. That’s how I was diagnosed. Based on the specialist’s recommendations our coaches had to restructure our entire training regimen to relieve the stress on my legs.”

“Right. It’s the repetitive strain on the same muscles and nerves that causes the condition to flare up.” Regina had read all about compartment syndrome after learning that the Canadian gold medalist had competed through intense pain at the Olympics. Her story had been inspirational for Regina while she was recovering from her injury.

“Usually just changing your routine is supposed to be enough,” Kathryn went on. “We altered our training techniques and the pain went away. Everything was working until about a week ago. I started to feel the strain again but it wasn’t as bad as before. I still felt okay to compete and I convinced my partner and my coaches that I could go on. But then this morning… I woke up with shooting pains in my legs and…” she trailed off and a fresh tear slid down her cheek.

“And you skated anyway because you love competing,” Regina finished for her. “You’re right. I completely understand.”

Kathryn smiled weakly. “You do, don’t you? I can’t imagine the hell you went through with your ankle.”

“Hell is the right word for it,” Regina agreed. “But I got better. And you will too.”

Kathryn shook her head sadly. “But that’s just it. We already changed our training methods and the pain came back. The only other option is surgery and even with that… there’s no guarantee it won’t flare up again a few years from now.”

Hearing Kathryn’s story made Regina’s heart break. She’d been here. Two years ago, she’d been in exactly the same place Kathryn was now and the decisions she made at her lowest points had affected the direction of her entire life. “Have you talked to your partner about this?” Regina inquired in what she hoped was a conversational tone. She had no desire to pry into something so private, but she also felt a strong urge to do what she could to help.

The mention of her partner only made Kathryn’s eyes well up again. “He’s been so wonderful through everything. So supportive and so kind. But… if I have this surgery, I’ll be off the ice for six months at least. Frederick and I love to compete. I can’t bear the thought of taking away the one thing he loves to do.”

Regina felt her own eyes well up at this revelation. This was exactly how she’d felt when her injury had taken Jefferson away from the rink. It wasn’t just her own career on the line, it had been his as well. And because she wanted what was best for him, she’d told him to find a new partner. But look at how that turned out. They weren’t even friends now. In order to give Jefferson his best chance, Regina had ruined a partnership that had taken years to build. She wouldn’t – she couldn’t let Kathryn make the same mistake.

“You need to talk to Frederick,” Regina said in a matter-of-fact voice. “I made a terrible error in judgement when I was injured. I pushed my partner away and I ruined everything we worked for. If your partnership is important to you, then please… please don’t make the same mistake I did. Talk to Frederick. I saw the way he supported you after the free dance. If he’s half the partner I think he is, he’ll support you through this.”

Kathryn wiped her eyes and nodded. “Okay. I’ll call him. He’s probably still in the lobby waiting for me.” She made a move to stand up, but her legs buckled under her. “Oh God, it still hurts,” she moaned. “How am I going to walk back up there?”

“I’ll help you,” Regina said. 

Kathryn only seemed more distressed by this proposal. “You’re four inches shorter than me and at least ten pounds lighter. I’ll knock you over if I have to lean even half my weight against you.”

But Regina was determined. “Fine then. I’ll text Robin and have him meet us here. Then we’ll both help you get back up to the lobby.”

Robin burst into the dressing room less than a minute after Regina sent him the text. “Milady! What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Regina put up her hands to steady him. “I’m fine, Robin. It’s not me, it’s Kathryn Aurelius. She… she strained her legs during the free dance and she’s having trouble walking. I said we could help her get back up to the lobby and find her partner.”

Robin’s expression shifted from relief to a new version of concern. He was relieved that Regina wasn’t the one in trouble but he was worried for Kathryn now. “Can you stand?” he inquired of her. “Take my hand. Regina, get her other side. We’re going to do this as a team.”

“Just as we always do.” She gave him a reassuring smile before they both hefted Kathryn into a standing position and started the slow walk to the elevator that would take them to the lobby. 

Frederick was waiting for them and the second he clapped eyes on his partner hobbling her way toward him he dropped his bags and sprinted across the room to meet them. “Kath! Oh Kath, you should have called me sooner.” He swept Kathryn into a protective embrace that lifted her off her feet. 

“I’m fine,” Kathryn started to say but she amended herself. “I’m not fine. My shins feel like they’re on fire. If Regina hadn’t come along…”

Frederick caught Regina’s eye over the top of Kathryn’s head. “Regina. I can’t thank you enough. I’ve been so worried…”

Regina tried to brush him off. “I’m just doing what any decent person would do,” she insisted but Frederick shook his head. 

“We’ve been having such a bad season,” Frederick lamented. “I’m glad you’re the one who found her and not someone else. You of all people know what’s at stake with a condition like this…”

“I do.” Regina put a comforting hand on Kathryn’s shoulder. “If you need someone to talk to, please don’t hesitate to call me. I want to help in whatever way I can.”

Kathryn gave her another weak smile. “Thank you, Regina. You were my hero tonight.”

****

“Now are you going to tell me what all that was about?” Robin asked once they were encamped in Regina’s hotel room. He’d been quiet on the bus ride back to the hotel because Kathryn and Frederick were sitting one bench away but now that they were alone Robin couldn’t hold back his curiosity a moment longer.

Regina was sitting on her bed with a tray of room service on her knees but she hadn’t eaten a bite of the exquisite meal. “I promised Kathryn I wouldn’t tell,” she murmured. “She was in so much pain…”

Robin sat down beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. “It’s CECS isn’t it. What she said about her shins gave it away.”

Regina nodded solemnly. “How did you know?”

Robin inched a little bit closer to her before he responded. “I read Tessa Virtue’s memoir about their career and the lead up to the Vancouver Olympics. She’s a very brave young woman for enduring her condition.” He paused and leaned a little closer. “She reminds me of you,” he added shyly.

Regina stared at him. “You read Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s biography?” She could scarcely believe it.

Robin ducked his head. “Of course I’ve read it. They’re one of the best teams of all time. When I was away from competition, I read all sorts of books about skating. Katia Gordeeva’s book about Sergei Grinkov broke my heart.”

Regina pushed the tray away and turned her body to face his. “You read My Sergei? It was so beautiful. She loved him so much. I cried like a baby.” She leaned up against his shoulder and sighed contentedly. “What other books did you read?”

“A few fictitious self-published works. Various bios and memoirs of the greats: Brian Orser, Kurt Browning, Katarina Witt, Michelle Kwan, Johnny Weir…”

“Amazing,” Regina breathed. “I had no idea you were such a massive nerd.”

Robin pretended to look affronted. “You’d know all about that. The television set in our home is built into a massive bookcase. And I know not all of those books belong to our friend Tinker. She’s more of an e-book kind of girl.”

“Alright, fine,” Regina grumbled. “I like books. I’d probably be sorted into Ravenclaw if I went to Hogwarts.”

But Robin shook his head. “Oh no, milady. You are a Gryffindor through and through. Like Hermione Granger: brave and brilliant.”

Regina laughed lightly despite the heaviness of the day. “You’re adorable. Flattery will get you everywhere.”

Robin wiggled his eyebrows playfully. “Is that so? In that case… are you going to finish that? I’m famished.” He pointed to the beautifully cooked slab of salmon filet on Regina’s plate. 

Regina’s stomach chose that moment to give a pointed growl. “I should really eat,” she murmured. “Sometimes I get so nervous at competitions I don’t take proper care of myself.”

Robin’s playful expression vanished. “Eat up, milady. I’ll order something else for myself.”

He moved off the bed and picked up the phone to call in his order. Regina thoughtfully chewed her way through her filet and the rice pilaf that accompanied it. Robin opted for a hamburger with lean meat and thinly sliced swiss cheese, but he couldn’t resist adding a side order of sweet potato fries. “I know you’re a fan – I’ll even let you steal a few,” he promised.

Regina grinned victoriously and snatched a fry from his plate. “You’re too good for me.”

“I do what I can.”

Snow, Regina’s hotel roommate, returned sometime later with David in tow. “Just like old times!” Snow cheered as she plopped down on her bed. She still had her silver medal around her neck from earlier in the day. Blanchard and Nolan had come in a distant second in the pairs event to the unstoppable force that was Mills and Crane, but Snow and David were pleased with themselves after coming in third the year before. David turned on the television and flipped through the channels until they found a movie everyone could agree on. 

“At least it’s not Mamma Mia again,” David muttered under his breath to Robin.

“I heard that!” Snow trilled from across the room.

It was comforting to know that some things never changed. Snow and David were as nauseatingly cute as ever, but Regina didn’t begrudge them their success or their happiness. Almost everyone at Nationals had come away a winner… everyone but poor Kathryn and Frederick.

During a commercial break, Regina excused herself to give Kathryn a quick phone call. “I’m feeling a bit better,” Kathryn reported. “A few hours rest has done me a world of good. And Frederick’s here with me.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Regina responded. “I’ll let you get back to your rest, then.” She felt as if she’d intruded on something private, so she wanted to get off the phone as quickly as possible. So Regina was surprised by Kathryn’s next words.

“Can I call you in a few days?” Kathryn asked. “We’re going to talk to our coaches tomorrow and make a decision about the surgery.”

“Of course you can call me,” Regina said after breathing a sigh of relief. “I’m here for you.”

Kathryn sniffled delicately on the other end of the line. Regina wondered how many more tears the poor girl would have to shed by the time her ordeal was over. “Thank you, Regina. If you were here right now I’d be giving you what I’m sure would be the world’s most awkward hug since we don’t even know each other that well.”

“You can hug me later,” Regina promised. “And I hope we can be friends.”

“I hope so too,” Kathryn agreed. 

Regina went back into the room and found everyone waiting for her. “Is everything okay?” Snow asked. 

She looked worried so Regina was quick to reassure her. “Everything’s fine. Just checking in on a friend.” She didn’t dare breathe a word of Kathryn’s condition to Snow. Not with her track record for failing to keep secrets. Regina sat back down next to Robin on her bed and leaned against his shoulder. Robin, for his part, put his arm around her again and pulled her closer.

Regina didn’t even remember the name of the movie they’d settled on. She zoned out while it was playing and she must have dozed off because she returned to consciousness by the sound of Snow’s anxious whispering. The television was off and Snow’s voice was the only sound in the room.

“Look at them!” Snow hissed. “All cuddled up together. Do you think they’re… you know… together together?”

David sighed deeply. “I’d say there’s a good chance of that.”

“Who do you think Regina was talking to on the phone?” Snow said next. “She seemed awfully secretive…”

“I don’t think it’s any of our business,” David returned. “Maybe she finally patched things up with Jefferson.”

Snow harrumphed in disbelief. “Yeah right. I know Regina. She could hold a grudge until the end of time.”

True, Regina thought to herself as she pressed closer to Robin’s warmth. She could feel from the gentle rise and fall of his chest that he was asleep too. No sense waking him now. She closed her eyes again and let sleep claim her.

****

Robin awoke to the sound of soft music. Was someone singing? He opened his eyes slowly, taking in his surroundings with confusion. This couldn’t possibly be his hotel room. His hotel room had not come with the beautiful brunette who was currently fast asleep draped over his chest. He sighed contentedly. A man could get used to waking up to such a lovely sight.

It was the singing that really confused him. He opened his eyes all the way and saw Snow perched on the edge of her bed watching them. Okay then. That’s a bit creepy, he thought to himself. Thank God she moved out.

“Honey, I’m still free. Take a chance on me,” Snow sang sleepily. “Is that what I’m seeing right now? Did you two decide to take a chance on each other?” She looked extremely smug at the thought.

Regina raised her head and glared at Snow. “Shut up, Snowflake. It’s too early for ABBA.”

“It’s never too early for ABBA.” Snow stood up and walked toward the bathroom. “Gonna do my very best and it ain’t no lie. If you put me to the test, if you let me try. Take a chance on me… take a chance on meeeeee…” she trailed off and shot them a pointed look over her shoulder before she disappeared into the bathroom.

“Oh God,” Regina murmured as she pulled away from Robin. “She’s going to think we’re sleeping together now.”

Robin sat up with her. “I’ve never understood that expression. Technically we did just sleep together. As in together, in the same bed. Or, not even really in it if you want to be precise. Just on it. We didn’t even get under the covers. And might I say, the pillows in this hotel room are fluffier than the pillows in mine. I feel quite ripped off for the terrible night’s sleep I had on Friday.”

Regina took one of those fluffy pillows and snacked him with it. “You’re ridiculous.”

He grinned and tugged the pillow out of her hands. “You like it.”

Regina made a grab for the pillow but he pulled it out of her reach. “Maybe I do,” she flirted. It was enough to have Robin let down his guard and lower his arms. This was just what Regina wanted. She grabbed the pillow again and bopped him hard with it. “Maybe I like that more.”

“Oh, you like to play rough?” Robin made a wild grab for her and she pulled away out of his reach. He made a move to go after her but they were interrupted by a loud groan from David. 

“Would you two keep it down? Some of us are still trying to sleep.” David glared at them both. “Some of us also have no interest in your sex life.”

“Party pooper. And here I thought you and your girlfriend both liked to watch.” Regina lobbed the pillow at David who short her a dirty look in return. 

“In your dreams, your majesty.”

Regina scrunched up her face. “Ew. In yours, maybe. Definitely not in mine.”

“Ugh!” David rolled out of bed and retreated to the relative calm of the bathroom. Regina picked up her fallen pillow and laid it neatly back on the bed. 

“Snow did say one thing that made sense,” Robin spoke up. “About taking chances.”

Regina raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “How so?”

“It’s just that… you did take a chance on me when you called me for that tryout,” he pointed out with a playful smile.

“Ugh, the tryout. I was so aloof and uptight. I still can’t believe you wanted to stick around after that.”

She really has no idea how much she means to me, Robin thought.

Regina sighed softly. “What do you see in me?”

Robin smiled again. “Hopefully the same thing you see in me: a second chance.”

Regina’s breath caught in her throat. That was exactly what she’d seen in him that day, and every day since. 

“And you’re a rather good dancer.”

Regina’s lips curved into a flirtatious smile. “Just wait until we’re at the exhibition gala later. We still have to skate to “Take Me to Church”.”

“Ah yes.” Robin nodded. “It is a rather sexy song, is it not?” he added suggestively.

“Very sexy,” Regina agreed with a little toss of her hair. “And I seem to recall you promised me a date at some point. And a proper kiss.”

Robin held his hand to his heart. “I’ve not forgotten, milady. Perhaps a movie date for that upcoming birthday of yours?”

“I look forward to it.”

****

Mills and Locksley went on to perform the best ever version of their “Take Me to Church” exhibition program. With the tension between them finally coming to its breaking point, Regina poured every ounce of passion she possessed into the sensuality of the routine and the intimacy of the lyrics. Robin matched her performance, skating with more freedom and lightness than he believed himself capable of. The team flew home from Minnesota on a high that didn’t dissipate even after the airplane hit the tarmac. 

As promised, Kathryn called Regina two days later. “I’ve decided to go ahead with the surgery,” Kathryn reported. “It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but we all talked it over and agreed that it was the best course of action.”

Regina wanted to do something for her. She couldn’t be there to support Kathryn after the fact – her surgery was scheduled for the same week that Regina would be on a plane to the Four Continents Championships – but she could do something else in the meantime. “I’m going to put together a post-surgery care package for you,” Regina announced. “I’ll get my housemates to throw in a little something too.”

Kathryn was embarrassed by all the attention. “You don’t have to go to all that trouble,” she tried to say, but Regina was insistent. 

“Don’t be silly. You’ll have a better chance of recovering if you’re surrounded by people who believe in you. I wouldn’t have made it through my recovery without Snow and Tink.”

Finally Kathryn relented. Regina found a leftover gift basket from Christmas and went about stuffing it full of useful things: a sleepmask, hand lotion, dry shampoo, a sampler set of tinted lip balms, magazines, an Amazon giftcard and some healthy snacks. Tink added in another pair of headphones and Robin agreed to put in a drawing. “I know it’s not something edible or entertaining, but I found this gorgeous picture of one of Aurelius and Jameson’s lifts at Nationals.” Robin showed Regina and Tink a print out of the lift in question. Kathryn was balanced in Frederick’s knee with her long arms stretched elegantly above her. “I have all these wonderful art supplies. I think I could draw this.”

Robin retreated to the sanctuary of his room and his sketchbook. It was the very sketchbook that Regina had almost rooted through the day he moved in. It was nearly full now. Thank goodness he still had that gift certificate for the art store. He’d need to buy a new one soon. He flipped through the pages until he came to the sketch he hadn’t wanted her to see. It was a drawing of Regina’s lovely face that he’d done from memory ages ago. Looking at it now he could see that he hadn’t gotten the shape of her nose quite right and that her hairline was lower, but the eyes… Robin believed that if you could capture your subject’s eyes just right in a drawing, the rest of the minor details didn’t matter. And he had captured Regina’s eyes in all their dark beauty and wonder.

Drawing from a reference picture was a vast deal easier. Kathryn’s delicate arm placement suggested years of ballet training and the translucent flutter sleeves of her costume gave her the air of an ethereal creature descending from the heavens. But to Robin the most striking thing about the picture was the look of pure, unfettered admiration in Frederick’s eyes. “I know that look, mate,” Robin said to himself as his moved his pencil across the thick paper. “I imagine that’s how I must look when I look at Regina. Oh the things we men do for our partners.” Once he had the basic image down on paper, Robin added a bit of subtle detail to Kathryn’s costume with a coloured pencil. Their free dance music was from Puccini’s opera Turandot and Kathryn’s pale blue dress had been decorated with a plethora of sequins and beads to portray the character of the princess in the story. “There,” he said to himself. “The colour makes all the difference.” He added a bit of colour to Frederick’s costume as well and to both of their hair. “I hope she likes it.”

Regina and Tink both oohed and ahhed over the drawing when it was complete. “I had no idea you were this good!” Tink complimented him. “Good thing Regina got you those art supplies, eh?”

“Our Regina is very intuitive,” Robin said, which made Regina turn red. “She must have gotten me those supplies because she knew I’d need them someday soon.”

“Or because that tired tin can you were storing your pencils in was an eyesore.” Regina tried to brush him off but his flattery had the desired effect because she was leaning against the counter in a way that could only be described as preening. “I’m sure Kathryn will love it.”


	16. Alice's Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a mild content warning for brief discussion of past emotional/psychological abuse.

Regina made the short trip across town to Kathryn’s apartment a few days after she finished making the care package. Snow and David had made contributions to the effort as well: a cloth-bound notebook and set of coloured pens from Snow and a few more gift cards from David. “I wasn’t sure if she was a book girl or a music girl, so I got her an iTunes card and a Barnes and Noble card so I’d have all the bases covered,” David said proudly.

Regina didn’t have the heart to tell David she’d already solved that problem by getting Kathryn an Amazon card, but she didn’t want to discourage him after he’d been so helpful. “I’m sure between the two cards she’ll be very well entertained,” Regina reassured him. “I’ll be sure to tell her you all said hello as well.”

Kathryn lived on the ground floor of a bright and modern apartment complex. Lucky thing she doesn’t have to climb any stairs, Regina thought to herself as she knocked on the door of Kathryn’s suite. Frederick answered the door and he looked infinitely relieved to see her. “Regina! Come on in. She’s just resting in the front room.”

Regina found Kathryn resting on a comfortable sofa with a quilt thrown over her tired legs. Her face was expressionless at first but her lips quirked into a smile when she saw Regina with the basket. “Oh wow!” she exclaimed as Regina set the care package down on the coffee table. “Look at all the goodies. You’re such a sweetheart for putting this together for poor old me.”

Regina tried to look modest. She suspected she failed entirely. She’d never been good at being modest. Her mother Cora, in the brief time that they’d known each other before her untimely passing, had always taught Regina not to diminish her own accomplishments for the sake of others. It was a lesson that Regina had never forgot. “I had help. My housemates and a few of my friends from the skating club made contributions. And we all signed the card.” 

Kathryn untied the ribbon and carefully peeled back the plastic that enclosed the basket. Though Regina had made good on her promise not to reveal Kathryn’s secret, the news had gotten out anyway when Kathryn announced that she was taking time off to undergo the surgery. Regina had been collecting signatures from far and wide in the week after Nationals for Kathryn’s get-well card and her efforts were rewarded when Kathryn pulled the card out of the basket first. “Oh, how pretty! Is this handmade?” 

Regina nodded. “My friend Ana – Anastasia Tremaine, of Tremaine and Scarlet – is quite crafty. She’s always posting her creations on her Instagram account, so I commissioned her to make something for you. I didn’t tell her what it was for at first, but after you made your announcement…”

“Of course,” Kathryn murmured as she read over the notes and signatures. “This is wonderful. I’ll be sure to send Ana my thanks as well.”

As Kathryn dug through the rest of the care package, Frederick ducked in and out of the room to get his partner a cup of tea. When he returned he was not alone: Alice Marvella of all people was with him. “What’s she doing here?” Regina whispered to Kathryn.

Kathryn looked askance at her. “We train at the same rink as Marvella and Gardiner. I thought you knew.”

“I didn’t.” Regina smoothed back her hair and attempted to rearrange her facial features into something more civilized. She suspected that she failed again.

Alice at least had the decency to look uncomfortable. “What a lovely basket,” she said in a soft, lightly accented voice. Regina frowned. Was Alice English? She’d never even noticed her accent before. Alice was touching the card with a hesitant hand, as if afraid to break off the finely cut flower appliques Anastasia had glue-gunned to the cardstock. “Is this one of Ana’s creations?” she asked.

“You know Ana?” The disbelief in Regina’s voice cast an air of tension over the proceedings. In her peripheral vision Regina could see Kathryn and Frederick shifting uncomfortably on the couch. 

Alice was quick to clear the air. “We trained together when we were juniors. She’s one of the most talented skaters I’ve ever known. And one of the most creative people.” Sensing that the moment had been spoiled by her arrival, Alice decided to rectify the situation. “I should get going,” she said, with an apologetic glance to Kathryn and Frederick. “Regina… would you mind meeting me in the lobby later? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about, if you’ll permit me.”

She was so polite Regina had to agree. She didn’t want to look petty in front of Kathryn and Frederick. And why shouldn’t she have it out with little miss prissy pants once and for all? “Sure. If you don’t mind waiting.” She couldn’t resist one last zinger. Just because Regina was riding a wave of goodwill today didn’t mean she’d lost any of her fire.

“I’ll be here.” Alice made brief goodbye overtures to her training mates and let herself out of the apartment. Frederick got up to lock the door and Kathryn stared at Regina in disbelief. 

“What the hell was all that about?” she accused. 

Regina brushed the encounter aside. “Damned if I know. I barely even know the girl.”

Kathryn looked like she wanted to say more, but she bit her tongue and turned her attention back to the basket instead. “What’s this?” she inquired of the second larger envelope at the bottom of the basket. “This can’t be another card.”

Regina smiled to herself. The second envelope contained Robin’s drawing. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Kathryn’s face when she opened it! “Have a look,” she encouraged. “I think you’ll like it.”

Kathryn trained a suspicious eye on Regina as she slit the envelope open but her expression shifted entirely when she saw what was inside. “Oh,” she sighed in surprise. “This… this is stunning. Robin did this? I had no idea he was so multi-talented.”

“He likes to pretend he’s not and he insists on holing up in his room away from prying eyes so he can sketch in peace without anyone looking over his shoulder.” Regina huffed. “He’s a regular tortured artist.”

Kathryn smiled serenely and leaned back against the couch cushions. “He sounds dreamy. Has he made you his muse yet?”

Regina cringed. “No way. Things never turn out well for the muse. But… he is taking me out for my birthday.”

Kathryn seemed to approve. “Good. I know everyone says you shouldn’t date your partner but… when it’s meant to be it’s meant to be.” 

Kathryn was in much better spirits when Regina left the apartment, but Regina herself was now under a cloud of doubt and suspicion. She had half a mind to sneak out the back way and leave Alice waiting in the lobby indefinitely, but she knew she’d never forgive herself if she did. The bad karma from such a deed would invariably come back to haunt her and the most inopportune time imaginable. Regina Mills believed in karma. She wasn’t one to tempt fate by upsetting the balance.

So she squared her shoulders and walked right up to the table where Alice was sitting in the visitor’s area of the lobby and sat down across from her. Alice flinched as if she was expecting someone even less hospitable than her new partner’s ex-partner. Something in her demeanour gave Regina pause. There was a momentary flash of… something in her eyes. Something dark and haunted. It made Regina shiver. This girl can’t be more than twenty, she thought to herself. What kind of hardships could this pretty English Rose have possibly encountered in her young life? Regina was barely three years older than Alice but she felt infinitely more worldly. “Okay Marvella. I’m here. What do you want to talk about?”

Alice’s eyes darted from side to side, as if to ensure that no one nearby was listening in. “I hardly know where to begin,” she murmured sheepishly. “I imagine you must think I’m a beastly girl for filching Jefferson from you.”

Beastly wasn’t the word Regina would have used – backstabbing bitch seemed more appropriate – but she was determined to remain civil until Alice gave her a reason not to be. Just give me one reason, Regina thought to herself. I could dismantle you in one sentence if I wanted to. “If a partner can be so easily stolen, he wasn’t really mine to begin with, was he?” she said pointedly. 

Alice folded her hands in her lap and lowered her head: the perfect image of contrition. “I hope you won’t think any less of me for what I’m about to tell you.”

Now Regina was intrigued. How could I possibly think less of this awfully vanilla little girl than I already do? She wondered. Now she had to know what secrets Alice was hiding. “Go on,” she encouraged, carefully training her voice not to sound over-eager. Maybe you’ll spill something I can use.

But Alice’s story proved to be unlike anything Regina could have imagined. “When I met Jefferson, we were both between a rock and a hard place,” Alice started. “He wanted to keep skating, but he was worried about you and didn’t know what to do. And as for me… my partnership had recently dissolved as well.” She raised her eyes to Regina’s and Regina was struck by the pain she saw in the younger girl’s blue-green gaze. “Do you know Arthur Monmouth?” she asked in a completely different tone of voice.

Regina was thrown off by the abrupt change of topic. “Who the hell is Arthur Monmouth?” The name sounded familiar but she couldn’t place it.

Alice’s expression changed again and her pain gave way to anger. “Be glad you don’t. He’s one of the worst coaches in Europe. He also happens to be coaching one of the best teams in Europe.”

“Best team in Europe…” Regina trailed off. Ana and Will’s coach was a woman, so it couldn’t be them that Alice was referring to. That only left one other prominent European team. “Are you talking about Troyes and DuLac?”

Alice nodded. “The very same.”

The memory of the coach’s strange behaviour in the Kiss and Cry at Skate America came back to Regina in a rush. She remembered how uncomfortable Guinevere and Lancelot had looked when Arthur pushed them both aside to sit between them. “I didn’t know his name, but I’ve seen him,” she recalled with a grimace. “He was so creepy with Guin and Lancelot at the American Grand Prix. But how do you know him?”

A shiver that shook Alice’s entire body ran down her spine. “He used to be my coach too. Back when I was with my first partner.”

“Oh.” Regina didn’t even know who Alice’s first partner was. Was he skating with someone else now? Had he retired young? 

Her face must have betrayed her curiosity because Alice was quick to fill in the gaps. “His name is Darcy. We were paired up when we were just kids. We were skating at our local rink with local coaches when Arthur found us. He said we had potential; that he could make us into something great. He wanted to take us away to his skating club in France and make us into international skating stars. You must understand how flattery like that can turn a young skater’s head. We believed him. We followed him to France and suddenly we were surrounded by better and older teams from all over the world. Seeing how good they were, it motivated us. We wanted to be just like them.”

Regina could understand where Alice was coming from, even if it didn’t seem relevant to the present situation. Regina had gotten her start at a small local rink in her hometown before her career had taken off. Sometimes moving to a higher echelon of competition meant leaving your first coach behind for someone more intermediate. “It sounds like a dream come true. Most young skaters would kill for a chance to be recruited like that.”

“It wasn’t long before the dream turned into a nightmare.” Alice shivered again before she continued. “Arthur was a relentless drill sergeant. He had us doing run-throughs and dance training around the clock. We had to be perfect or else he yelled at us and belittled us. After a year or so, Darcy had had enough. He’s a very sensitive boy. I was the one who pushed us to make the move. He didn’t react well to that kind of coaching style. Darcy quit. Arthur worked him to the bone and he quit. Then he turned on me.”

This time Regina was the one who shivered.

“Arthur blamed me for everything. He said I was the one who drove Darcy away. He told me I weighed too much even though I’d lost nearly ten pounds during that miserable year. He said I was sloppy and lazy and that no one would ever want to skate with someone as artless as me. He nearly destroyed me. I never wanted to skate again.”

Regina could guess what happened next. “And then you came to America and you met Jefferson,” Regina finished for her. It was appalling that an accredited coach could get away with such behaviour. It sounded too extreme to be real, but the man’s strange behaviour at Skate America spoke volumes. Regina wasn’t naïve. She knew that exploitative coaches could be found in all disciplines of sport. She’d been fortunate in her career not to be forced to work with any, but not everyone was as fortunate as she. Alice certainly hadn’t been. It was a wonder the poor girl had been able to find the confidence to come back to the ice after such shoddy treatment. Suddenly her previous squirrely behaviour around Regina made sense. Alice was dealing with her problems. In a way, she and Regina weren’t so different. They’d both suffered major career setbacks but while Regina’s had been mostly physical, Alice’s had been psychological. Just because the damage wasn’t as apparent as Regina’s surgical scar didn’t mean Alice’s pain counted for any less. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” Regina said in what she hoped was a sympathetic voice. She thought of the times Robin had comforted her and tried to mirror his approach. “I had no idea that man was such a bastard.” She couldn’t help but add one last rude comment before moving on. “But you found a better coaching situation in the end. That’s something to be proud of.”

Alice had already recomposed herself with a graceful air. “When I first skated with Jefferson… I felt better than I had in ages. It helped me remember how much I loved skating in the first place. I was so caught up and I let myself get swept away by the possibility of being able to compete again with someone who respected me and a coach who understood me. I felt like myself again. I never wanted to hurt you, Regina. But everyone was so certain your injury would be career-ending…”

“It should have been,” Regina said darkly. “No one was more surprised than my surgeon when I healed up the way I did. I asked him about it afterwards and he gave me the statistics. Someone with my injury only would have had a ten percent chance of skating again. If I’d only injured my fibula, that number would have been a lot higher. But hurting my fibula and my Achilles at the same time is what should have screwed me over. But it didn’t. I’m a medical miracle, Alice. No one would have bet on me with those odds. It doesn’t matter now anyway. That feeling you described, about finally skating with someone who respects you? That’s how I feel every time I step onto the ice with Robin. What I had with Jefferson was good but it was never as… magical as what skating with Robin feels like. As much as I hated getting hurt and the hardship I went through… it led me to my perfect partner. In a way I should be thanking you for taking Jefferson off my hands. We outgrew each other, Alice. Just like you probably outgrew your boy Darcy.”

Alice folded her hands together on the tabletop. “It sounds mean to say it that way, doesn’t it? Saying you outgrew someone.”

“Not really.” Regina shrugged. “What’s mean is what Arthur did to you. Mean is too civil a word for it.” 

Alice looked distressed again. “I worry so very much for Guinevere and Lancelot. They’re his star students, so Arthur was always a bit less mean to them. But I think they could be so much better than they are if they didn’t have him breathing down their necks night and day. Lancelot has incredible edge technique and Guinevere moves so beautifully. In some ways I think they’re better than Jefferson and I. But with Arthur… they don’t get the chance to really show it.”

“I really like Troyes and DuLac,” Regina agreed. “They have such a unique style of movement. If only they could get away from that creep. They’d be much better off in a more hospitable training environment.”

Alice glanced around conspiratorially before continuing. “I spoke to Guin at the Grand Prix Final. I tried to convince her to come train with us in America but she was so scared. She already uprooted her life in Spain to skate in France, you see. It hasn’t been an easy road for her.”

“Nothing about this sport is ever easy,” Regina said sagely. “If it was, everyone would be doing it.”

Alice smiled hesitantly. “You’re right. And you’re wise. I wish I could be more like you.”

Regina scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. I may seem self-confident and secure but I’m a nervous wreck whenever I have to compete. If Robin wasn’t willing to put up with me, I’d be a sobbing mess on the floor somewhere.”

Alice laughed lightly. “Robin sounds wonderful. You’re so lucky to have someone like him.”

Regina beamed. “He really is the best partner I could ask for. I don’t know what I’d do without him.” She hadn’t meant to phrase it quite so bluntly but Regina could not take the words back once she spoke them. And if she was being honest with herself, this was precisely how she felt. In less than a year, Robin had become more than a partner to her. He was her friend, her confidante, her safe place… her life and her heart, while already complete and fully formed without him, had made room for him anyway. Her relationship with Robin wasn’t about filling a void in Regina’s heart or her soul: it was about enhancing what was already there. 

Alice didn’t seem put off by Regina’s comment at all. In fact, she seemed to understand exactly what Regina had failed to articulate. “I know what you mean. A few months after I came here, I met the sweetest boy with the most beautiful dark eyes at our dance studio. He was a bit shy at first but once we got talking, one thing led to another and… well, you know what it’s like. He’s not a skater, but he’s a competitive dancer. He understands the hard work and sacrifice we go through.”

“That’s wonderful,” Regina said. “Does this boy have a name?”

Alice blushed delicately. “His name is Cyrus.” She took out her cellphone and showed Regina a picture of herself standing with a handsome dark-haired youth with the aforementioned soulful eyes.

“He’s cute.” Regina nodded approvingly. “Good for you. I know it’s not easy to meet someone when all you do is train. That’s probably why so many of us end up dating our partners.”

“And are you?” Alice asked. “Dating your partner, I mean.”

Even though Alice had just entrusted Regina with her secrets, Regina wasn’t ready to give hers up just yet. As relieved as she felt to finally clear the air with her ex-partner’s new partner, Regina was still hesitant. “Let’s just say things might be going in that direction,” she said breezily. Just because you spilled your guts doesn’t mean I’m going to spill mine, she thought to herself. This all comes back around to Jefferson. I’m going to have to confront him once and for all.

****

Robin was puttering around in the kitchen when Regina returned from her trip to Kathryn’s. He was fretting over a vegetarian lasagna and was eager to get her opinion. “I don’t know,” he worried when she asked what he was up to. “It just doesn’t look right to me. Perhaps it needs your special attention to detail?” He looked up at her expectantly. There was a playful look in his eyes that suggested he wanted more than just cooking advice.

“Red pepper flakes,” Regina reminded him. “I told you everything is better with red pepper flakes.”

“Ah.” Robin nodded knowingly and retrieved the little jar from the spice cabinet. “Would you care to do the honours, milady? I know how particular you are about these things.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Regina leaned over the casserole dish on the counter and sprinkled Robin’s offering with a liberal dose of the secret ingredient. She sensed Robin’s eyes on her and she purposefully leaned over a bit more than was necessary. If he’s going to stare, I’m going to give him something worth looking at, she thought wickedly. Sure enough, Robin cleared his throat pointedly.

“Milady… must you distract me in such an obvious manner?” he inquired in a pained voice. “Those jeans you’re wearing are very… er… fitted.”

Regina plastered an innocent look on her face before she turned around. “Whatever do you mean? I know you respect me far too much to do anything about it.”

Robin crossed his arms. “It’s exactly my deep and abiding respect for you that’s preventing me from pushing you up against that counter right this very second.”

“Like it prevented you on New Year’s Eve?” Regina donned a pair of oven mitts deposited the lasagne in the pre-heated oven. “I’m not some silly high school girl who got too tipsy at a party and tried to get into your pants. I’m your partner. And if we’re both being honest with ourselves, something has been going on between us for a while now.”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “Which is why I’ve decided once and for all to do something about it.”

Regina raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that?”

“We’re going out on that date I promised,” he announced. “For your birthday. And afterwards I fully intend to kiss you. More than once if you’re willing.”

His words made Regina’s heart race in her chest. She took a deep breath to steady herself before she responded in a tone that she prayed didn’t give away her eagerness. “Good. I look forward to it, Locksley.”

Robin’s eyes twinkled. “As do I, Mills.”


	17. Four Continents

What birthday gift does a man buy for a woman who isn’t his girlfriend yet? Robin wondered. This was the same question he’d wrestled with at Christmas. Finding the horseshoe necklace had been a stroke of luck but now Robin feared he’d set the bar too high. It wasn’t that Regina was the sort of girl who already had everything. He knew from speaking to her father at Christmas that the Mills family was comfortably well-off, but by no means rich. She wasn’t the kind of girl you could buy chocolates for because her strict athlete’s diet prevented her from consuming too much extra sugar. Flowers seemed superficial. He couldn’t do jewellery again so quickly. So where did that leave him? He knew she liked to read, but the library of books in the living room was already so vast and varied and a gift card seemed too impersonal. What was he to do? There was a lot riding on this date. It had to be perfect.

Whenever he doubted himself, Robin turned to his non-skating hobbies: art and music. Playing her a special song on his guitar felt cliché – he only did covers of other people’s music anyway. Music was too ephemeral: he needed something tangible that she could carry with her. Something permanent. 

He took out one of his new 2B pencils and started to sketch.

****

Robin was very cagey when he and Regina sat down for her birthday dinner. He’d been working tirelessly on his gift when they weren’t training and now that the big reveal was about to happen his nerves had kicked in. He made a valiant effort to cover up his insecurities behind a wall of flirtatious comments and knowing looks but Regina didn’t buy it for a second.

“You know I care more about having you as a partner than some silly present,” Regina told him. “You’ve already given me so much.” She reached across the table and took his hand, forcing him to look up into her eyes. “I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything just because it’s my birthday and we’re finally having our first date,” she said.

And what a glorious date it had been. It was only dinner and a movie, but even something so mundane can feel magical when you’re sharing it with the right person. Everything felt so easy: from the conversation on the way to the movie, to the subtle brushing of hands when they both reached for the armrest in the theatre, and the sumptuous food at the Italian restaurant. Regina and Robin were ensconced in a both so small that Regina’s feet ended up resting comfortably against Robin’s. Not that either of them minded. It was the perfect excuse to get close and cozy. 

After the table had been cleared, Robin finally brought out Regina’s present. It was wrapped in plain paper, just as his Christmas gift had been, and tied with a red ribbon. “Because you look good in red,” he said. 

Regina, who happened to be wearing a crimson red sweater that night, laughed lightly as she untied the ribbon. “What could this be,” she mused as she peeled back the wrapping paper to reveal a small unmarked box. She pried off the lid and found the tissue paper-wrapped object inside. Across the table, Robin’s heart pounded in his ears as Regina carefully removed the tissue and found the little book he’d so carefully wrapped up for her. He’d put so much work into creating this gift. He’d sketched and erased and traced and smudged until all his fingers were covered in lead and his right wrist ached. What if she hated it? What if she thought it was weird? He let out a breath he didn’t even realise he’d been holding. She wasn’t saying anything. This was going to be a disaster.

“This looks like your sketchbook – only smaller.” She glanced up at him uncertainly. “Did you make me a drawing?” 

Robin didn’t dare speak. He couldn’t. He could only move his head in what he hoped looked like an affirmative gesture. 

He’s so cute when he’s nervous, Regina thought with a playful tilt of her head. The poor man must be sweating bullets. Time to put him out of his misery. “You’re an incredible artist, Robin.” She lifted the cover of the sketchbook without breaking eye contact with him. “I’m sure this will be…”

She dropped her gaze to the page and her heart hitched in her chest. The image that stared back at her made her feel as if she was looking in a mirror. It was her own portrait, made all the better because it was drawn by a loving hand: from the strands of hair on her head, to the arch of her eyebrows, the roundness of her cheeks and the fullness of her lips, he’d captured her in vivid detail. Even her eyes seemed to sparkle back at her from the paper. “Oh…” she marveled as her eyes took in every minute detail. He’d even gotten the scar above her lip just right. “Robin. This is…”

They both sighed in unison. Regina because she was so overcome; Robin because he was so relieved.

“That’s not all,” he murmured, finally able to find his voice again. “Turn the page over,” he encouraged with a gentle smile. “There’s more.”

Regina stared at him in wonder. He’d done more than one drawing of her? Unable to fight the smile off her face, Regina turned to the next page: sure enough, there she was again in her workout gear and skates with her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. “This is how I remember you the day we first met,” Robin explained. “You were practicing your twizzles…”

“The tryout,” Regina recalled. “I was such a bitch. I still can’t believe you wanted to skate with me.”

Robin shrugged modestly. “What can I say? I knew I’d met my match.”

Regina turned the page again: this time it was drawing of her and Robin in their short dance costumes, only this one was coloured in. He’d even used a fine tipped metallic marker to draw the sequins on her dress. “This is gorgeous,” she whispered. “When did you have the time to do all these?”

Robin leaned closer to her across the table and took her hand. “I got inspired after I did the drawing for Kathryn. And I had all those wonderful art supplies from Christmas.”

“It’s a good thing I got you those supplies then,” Regina teased. 

There was one more page in the small sketchbook with a drawing on it: this time it was of them both again in their dramatic final free dance pose with Regina cradled protectively in Robin’s arms. Just looking at it made Regina feel as short of breath as she always did at the end of the program. “We look good,” she said. Good was an understatement, but Robin seemed gratified nonetheless. 

“I can’t wait ‘til we perform this dance again at Four Continents,” he said reverently. “I love having you as my fiery Juliet.”

“And you make a very sexy Romeo,” she purred with a suggestive fluttering of her eyelashes.

Robin grinned and bit his lip. “You think I’m sexy?”

Regina scoffed. “I’ve seen you with your shirt off. I don’t think you’re sexy. I know you are.”

Robin couldn’t stop grinning. He knew he must look somewhat ridiculous, smiling at her like some lovestruck teenager, but he could not stop himself. “I’m flattered, milady. Thank you.”

Regina blushed and suddenly became very interested in the tablecloth. “I should be the one thanking you for the beautiful gift. I can’t believe you went and bought a new sketchbook just for this.”

“I wanted you to have something you could hold onto. And as you can see, the sketchbook still has 46 more pages. We have plenty of time to fill it up with our memories as our journey continues.”

Regina’s heart was fluttering around so violently in her chest she could scarcely stand it. “I wish I could draw,” she lamented. “The most artistic thing I’ve ever done is a paint-by-numbers picture of a horse when I was ten.” She ducked her head so he couldn’t see her blushing. “And some calligraphy,” she added after a moment of reflection. Snow was always making fun of her loopy handwriting. Probably because she felt bad about her own chicken scratch.

“I’m sure it was a lovely horse,” Robin said and they both laughed. 

Regina grimaced at the memory. “I could barely stay in the lines. My eyesight was terrible back then.”

This was something he didn’t know about her. “Oh? And it’s not terrible now?”

Regina tilted her head and pointed to her left eye. “I got Lasik. I can see things very clearly now.” She looked up at him pointedly as she said this.

Robin, determined to match wits, leaned forward a fraction more. “And what do you see for the rest of this evening, milady?”

Regina smiled wickedly. “I see you paying the tab and us going back to our townhome and making out on the couch.”

“Of course.” Robin nodded. “It seems we are both sharing the same vision tonight.”

He’d imagined kissing her many times before tonight – mostly in dreams that had come to him in the night and left him alone and frustrated in his new bed – but none of that prepared Robin for the marvel of Regina’s full lips against his. She was a phenomenal kisser: slow but sensual as the tension built with every pass of her eager mouth against his. She’d initiated this encounter less than a minute after they arrived back at the townhouse. Robin had barely gotten his jacket off before Regina accosted him with a kiss so insistent his knees had buckled underneath him. Robin kissed her back hungrily, savouring every second that he got to hold her in his arms. His hands travelled down her back to her waist and settled on her hips with finality. His hands would travel no further that night. There would be plenty of time for that when she permitted it.

They were sitting on the sofa that had so often been the scene for significant moments in their relationship. Regina had one arm looped around Robin’s neck while her opposite hand rested against his rapidly beating heart. “Hmm,” Regina murmured between kisses. “This is by far the best birthday I’ve had in years.”

Robin grinned lazily up at her and leaned in for another quick kiss. “Is that so? Is it the company, or…?” he trailed off suggestively.

“The kissing is pretty nice,” Regina admitted with a coy flash of her eyes.

Robin shrugged modestly. “Hard not to be. You’re a rather good kisser, Regina.”

His words made her heart flutter around in her chest. She hadn’t kissed anyone in ages. It was comforting to know her skills hadn’t fallen by the wayside. “We should probably stop,” she suggested even as she leaned closer to let his lips trail down the side of her neck. “Tink could be back any minute.”

Robin’s index finger traced the line of Regina’s jaw with the lightest of touches. “It’s a good thing she likes us. It can’t be easy for her to see her housemates carrying on.”

“We probably shouldn’t… carry on in front of her,” Regina murmured guiltily. “And as much fun as this has been, I think we should take things slowly. At least until the off season.”

Robin was inclined to follow Regina’s lead. They still had two more competitions to get through and one of them was second only to the Olympics in its importance. As much as he wanted to pull her onto his lap and keep kissing her until the sun came up, Robin knew they couldn’t afford the distraction. “Slow is fine by me,” he whispered. “But I’d like to steal one more kiss to tide me over.”

Regina giggled and rolled her eyes. “Silly Robin.” She captured his lips one last time and gave him a gentle peck that promised more to come. “You can’t steal something that’s been given to you.”

****

Regina’s desire to take things slow proved to be the right course of action. Their training had intensified again as they moved into the last leg of the competitive season. Both partners came home exhausted at the end of each day and they used the little energy they had left to cook dinner and keep the house from falling into disarray. 

The long flight to Taipei for the Four Continents Championship provided an unlikely reprieve. By now they were so comfortable with each other that Regina didn’t even ask before dozing off with her head on Robin’s shoulder this time, nor did Robin have to ask if it was okay to put his arm around her. They had a stopover in Tokyo before they finally reached Taipei in midafternoon local time. Regina was delighted to discover that Abigail Mills, the famous pairs skater, was to be her roommate at the hotel. 

Abigail, who preferred to be called Abbie, was pleased as well. “So you’re the Other Mills. You made quite a splash at Nationals,” Abbie remarked as the girls settled into their room. 

“That’s funny. I’ve been calling you the Other Mills in my head as well.” The girls both laughed. “It’s a good thing we don’t compete in the same discipline, or else we’d confuse the hell out of people.”

“Well, some of us are too short for ice dance,” Abbie pointed out, gesturing to her petite, five-foot self.

“And some of us are too tall for pairs,” Regina returned. “That and I couldn’t jump to save my life.” It was rather ridiculous that a woman of Regina’s height could be considered too tall for something. But pairs skating catered to small women and big brawny men. The taller girls could either be singles skaters or more likely ice dancers. Someone like Kathryn Aurelius, at 5 foot 8, was an Amazonian anomaly in the skating world.

Abbie shrugged it off. “Jumping isn’t a walk in the park, Other Mills.” She pushed her suitcase under her bed for safe keeping before continuing the conversation. “That was a hell of a nice thing you did for poor Kathryn Aurelius. CECS is a bitch. It’s the reason my sister had to give up skating.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Is she doing alright now?”

“Thank you,” Abbie said. “She’s doing well, all things considered. She decided to go back to school and pursue a history degree.”

Regina often wondered what she would do after she finished skating. Would she dive right into coaching or would she also go back to school? She had a few college credits to her name from taking online courses, but she’d need a lot more to get anywhere close to having a degree. What did Robin want to do after he retired? She’d never even asked him. It seemed like something she should know. But how to bring it up? Hey partner, where do you see yourself after we retire from competition? That’s going to be one awkward conversation, she lamented. Maybe I’ll wait for him to bring it up first.

The lead up to the competition followed the usual routine: practice sessions, off-ice conditioning and, for the more adventurous, exploring the city on their off hours. Four Continents was a newer event, intended to give non-European skaters who could not go to the European Championships one last chance to compete before the World Championships. Without the European skaters to contend with, the ice dance competition would be an epic clash between the American and Canadian teams. Mills and Locksley’s chances were by no means certain: being the third-ranked team in their country and only in their first year together, they would do well to finish in the top six. “We can take LeFay and Ambrose,” Regina predicted with their coaches before the short dance. “We already beat them in Japan.”

But LeFay and Ambrose had more mileage on their programs, having gone to the Grand Prix Final when Mills and Locksley did not. They were also coming off a strong second place finish at the Canadian Championships. “Don’t get cocky, missy,” Ursula warned. “Those two are fierce.”

“I didn’t know Canadians could be fierce,” Regina grumbled, making Robin laugh. Nimue LeFay chose that very moment to glide by their spot at the boards with a menacing expression on her face. “Okay, I take it back. She’s pretty fierce.”

“She looks rather lively for someone skating to the Sleeping Beauty Waltz,” Robin remarked with another little laugh. The tension eased up a bit as they skated away from the boards and took another circuit around the rink. “This is rather strange for me,” Robin said as they practiced some easy crossovers. “I’m used to going to the European Championships. I always wondered what Four Continents would be like.”

He can’t be very impressed, Regina thought as she glanced up at the sparse crowd. Ice dancing wasn’t a very big draw in Taipei so the stands were less full than the skaters were used to. “We couldn’t let the Europeans have all the fun,” she said lamely. “North America and Asia needed one last stop before Worlds.”

“Don’t forget Australia!” a third voice piped up as Belle French and her partner skated by. “We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?” she added. “Our first competition together was ages ago!”

The warmup ended with the brash intrusion of the announcer’s voice. Belle and Archie remained on the ice while the rest of the competitors retreated reluctantly to the holding area. There wasn’t a monitor backstage this time but there was a gaggle of reporters from a Japanese television channel stationed nearby. They were gathered around a man who kept refreshing the live results page on his tablet every other minute. “58.57 for French and Hopper!” he reported. “Chinese pair up next.”

Regina breathed a sigh of relief. 58 was beatable. One team down. Top six is well within reach. The Chinese team scored three points lower. Two down. LeFay and Ambrose, for all their Grand Prix Final glory, only managed a 60. Far lower than their season’s best, Regina noted. The judges must be extra picky today. 

“Ready to wow them?” Robin asked as they skated to centre ice. 

Regina gave his hand a squeeze. “Ready when you are, Locksley.”

The program unfolded with textbook precision: twizzles, pattern dance, partial step sequence, lift. The small audience clapped appreciatively as they skated off to the Kiss n Cry. Regina felt good about the routine – the lift had felt especially easy today – so she was taken aback when John greeted them with a grim face at the boards. “I heard the Blue Nightmare is on the technical panel today,” he said in a hollow voice. “That’s why the scores have been so low.”

“The Who Nightmare?” Regina echoed in confusion as she put on her skate guards. She’d never heard of such a person.

“Azura Carling,” Robin reported in a low voice so the television microphones wouldn’t pick up. “She’s supposed to be one of the toughest technical specialists in the world. She usually only works in Europe.”  
“Too bad she didn’t stay in Europe this week,” Regina mumbled as they sat down to await their marks.

The judging panel took longer than usual to report the marks today. This was not a good sign: it meant they’d found fault with something upon review. Regina started to sweat. She looked to Robin for comfort and he wrapped a protective arm around her waist. “Whatever happens happens,” he said soothingly. “But I know we did our best today. It felt like we were flying out there.”

Regina smiled weakly. “It did, didn’t it? Especially in the lift.” She leaned over to whisper in his ear so the speakers wouldn’t hear her next comment. “You must be getting stronger.” She patted his arm appreciatively.

Mills and Locksley’s short dance mark was enough to put them in the lead, but it was a full seven points lower than their score at Nationals. Robin murmured something vague about Nationals inflation but Regina remained disgruntled. They’d come too far to be put down by some uppity European technical specialist. But the next teams to skate fared little better: Azura Carling, a sullen-faced woman in a stiff blue blazer, gave everyone lower technical marks than they were used to and no one was happy about it. By the end of the first segment of the competition, Marvella and Gardiner had eked out the slimmest of leads over Lucas and Booth. Swan and Jones were two points behind in third and Mills and Locksley were half a point behind them. Robin remained optimistic – this was the closest they’d come to beating Swan and Jones – but Regina was still disappointed.

“Azura. What the hell kind of name is that, anyway? It sounds like something out of a fairy tale,” Regina grumbled as their group boarded the bus back to the hotel.

“Says the girl whose name literally means queen,” Emma Swan pointed out.

Regina glared at her. “You’re one to talk, Swan. You’re the one who’s literally skating to Swan Lake.”

The skaters in the seats around them all chuckled. Killian Jones ducked his head and looked embarrassed. 

“She does have a point,” Ruby Lucas piped up from two seats over. “How did that come about, anyway? Did your coach just wake up one morning and say, okay guys, this is the year for Swan Lake?”

This time Emma was the one who looked embarrassed. “It’s kind of my fault. I was trawling YouTube looking for music and I came across this insane heavy metal version of Swan Lake. I sent it to Killian and joked that it would be perfect for a free dance. We could wear pleather and eyeliner and be crazy swan rock stars. I wasn’t actually being serious.”

“But then our coach caught wind of it and saddled us with traditional Swan Lake instead,” Killian filled in. “You can imagine my disappointment. I was quite looking forward to the guyliner.”

Emma rolled her eyes at him. “It’s all part of a bigger plan. We put up with tradition this year and hopefully next season we’ll get to so something more creative. Next year’s World Championships are in Finland and I’m dying to skate to Nightwish.”

“If you can’t skate to Finnish metal in Finland, then what’s the point?” Killian added. “We’ve all had to skate to something we didn’t like at some point in our careers.”

Regina and Robin exchanged knowing looks. Even though Romeo and Juliet had grown on Regina over the course of the season, she doubted it would ultimately be her favourite program of all time.

“Tell me about it. I’m so sick of the Masquerade Waltz,” Alice piped up.

“I hated our free dance last year,” Nimue added.

“If I ever have to hear Phantom of the Opera again, I’ll go mad,” Archie Hopper chimed in.

The camaraderie between the competitors carried over into the evening. Emma and Killian invited Robin and Regina to join them for dinner and they ended up running into Belle and Archie at the restaurant. But when the competition resumed the next day, everyone had their game faces on once again. Azura Carling was back and she looked even less hospitable than she had the day before. Her hair was drawn back in a severe updo and her eyes were cold and critical. “Regular ray of sunshine, that one,” Killian muttered as the final group prepared for their warmup. He seemed nervous today. Robin wondered if his hip was still bothering him, but he didn’t dare ask before they were about to skate. I’ll check in with him after, he thought to himself as he glided out onto the ice surface with Regina’s cold hand clasped in his own. Focus now, he schooled himself. Your goal here was to finish sixth or better. You’ve already done that. Just keep your eyes open and keep pushing. We’re only half a point from third place…

Ambition can do strange things to people, especially people who aren’t ambitious by nature. A year ago, Robin had only wanted to find someone new to skate with. He didn’t have delusions of wowing everyone right out of the gate and winning medals left right and centre. He just wanted to skate. But then he met Regina and all his wildest dreams came true: the perfect partner, the right programs, a bit of luck… and now they were already catching up to the contenders. They’d achieved so much in less than one season together. Which is perhaps why fate chose to deal Mills and Locksley a small setback on the day of the free dance.

If you were to ask Regina later on, she would say that setbacks were inevitable. They’d had a good run in their season so far, but they couldn’t expect clear sailing all the time. Skating wasn’t as easy as that. You could be on the podium one day and in the back half of the top ten the next. That was how competitive it was. So when they made the most minor of mistakes in their free dance that day, Regina was barely fazed by it. 

It was Robin who let himself fall into a pit of despair and blame. They hadn’t put a foot wrong for almost the entire dance. He felt great, wonderful even. When he picked Regina up for the final lift, he felt so strong and triumphant that he kept her in the air for a split second longer than he was supposed to. To the untrained eye, it didn’t even look like a mistake. The audience still cheered and threw them flowers. In fact, no one even knew Robin had made a mistake until the marks came up.

“A deduction?” John gasped incredulously. “No way. There’s no way.”

But Ursula was already squinting at the playback on the little screen in the Kiss n Cry. “That last lift might have gone long,” she guessed. “It’s hard to tell, but…”

The audience, now seeing that the mark was a point lower than it should have been, made their displeasure known with a round of booing. Regina risked a glance at the judges’ table and saw Azura Carling staring stone-faced back at her. Regina jerked out of the woman’s line of sight so she couldn’t see the expression of disgust on her face. “She’s got the rulebook stuffed up her ass,” Regina muttered as soon as they were in the hallway and far away from the microphones and cameras. “She only did that to be mean.”

But Robin wasn’t so sure. Regina and the coaches were talking around him but Robin barely heard them. He was too busy beating himself up. I got too confident, he scolded himself. I felt so certain and so secure, I let the timing get away from me. Now we’re out of the running. We couldn’t afford to lose a single point. Now we don’t stand a chance of finishing on the podium…

Robin’s prediction proved true: Swan and Jones skated next and took a precarious lead. Then Lucas and Booth went on to earn a season’s best score while Marvella and Gardiner also put on another flawless performance. Mills and Locksley would finish in fourth place today. 

Regina wasn’t angry. Their goal had been sixth or better and they’d more than achieved that. “Let’s stay to watch the guys’ short program,” she suggested gently once the free dance had wrapped up. “I heard there’s this Japanese kid attempting a quad flip jump…”

“You go on,” Robin said with a weak smile. “I’m feeling a bit…”

“Queasy?” Regina guessed. He’d been subdued ever since the scores came up. “Is it your nervous stomach again?” 

“Something like that.” He grimaced. He just wanted to be alone for a while to contemplate his failure. 

Her eyes filled with sympathy and she reached out to take his hand. “I don’t have to stay. I can come back with you…”

Robin shook his head. “Go on and have fun, Regina. Don’t worry about me.”

He tried to smile but she didn’t buy it. She knew he was hurting. But she also knew he was pushing her away. Let me help you, she begged silently. Don’t be such a boy about it. “Are you sure?”

Robin nodded. “I’ll be fine, milady. I’m just a bit worn down.”

That she could believe. But Regina didn’t want to give up just yet. “Text me if you want to talk,” she said, before leaning in to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

“I will,” he promised.

When he walked away from her, it took all the restraint Regina possessed not to run after him. It’s not fair, she ruminated as she made her way back down to the change room to gather up her belongings and change out of her costume. He’s always there for me when I’m upset. Why won’t he let me be there for him? Is this some stupid guy thing? I’m a big tough man, therefore I must suffer alone! Ugh. Why are boys so clueless when it comes to emotions?

Regina joined a group of other skaters in the stands just as the men’s short program got underway. She lingered uncertain on the edge of the group until Tink squeezed out of her row and came to see her. “Where’s Robin?” the Australian girl hissed. “Don’t tell me he’s sulking somewhere.”

When Regina didn’t respond, Tink groaned so loudly the people in the seats nearby turned to stare at her. Regina, not wanting to draw any more attention to herself, took hold of Tink’s arm and dragged her back out into the hallway. “I’d classify it more as brooding,” she admitted. “Is sulking the same thing as brooding?” 

Tink rolled her eyes. “Boys are ridiculous. It’s troubling to know that someone as cool as Robin is just the same as the rest of them.”

“I should have gone with him,” Regina lamented. 

“You still can!” another voice cut in. Regina and Tink looked up in confusion to see that Snow had followed them from the stadium. “You should go to him. He needs you right now, whether he wants to admit it or not. David is the same way whenever we have a bad competition…”

“So I should just go to his room and insinuate myself into his company?” Regina was incredulous. As much as she wanted to be there for Robin in his time of trial, she didn’t like to push in where she wasn’t wanted either. 

Snow gawked at her as if she’d grown an extra head. “Don’t be daft, Regina. He’ll be happy to see you. Trust me on that.”

“There’s still one more shuttle bus that hasn’t left yet,” Tink added. “If you run, you might still catch it.”

Regina stared at them both. Could she really do this? She almost laughed at her own self-doubt. She was Regina Mills: the girl who had already defied the odds and made it back to competitive skating after being critically injured. If she could do that, surely talking to one boy would be a walk in the park. Without bothering to say a proper goodbye to Snow and Tink, Regina raced out of the arena and caught up with the last shuttle bus just as it was pulling away from the kerb. She threw herself into the first available seat and stared straight ahead for the entire journey back to the hotel. Her heart continued to pound even after the strain of her brisk sprint wore off. What was she going to say to him?

In the end, words failed her. Regina knocked on Robin’s hotel room door and when he answered it, her heart took another lurch. Robin’s posture was slouched and his eyes were tired and defeated. She’d never seen him so downcast. 

Before she could even say anything, Robin started to talk. “Milady,” he murmured in a voice so somber it almost made tears spring to her eyes. “I let you down. That lift went overtime on my watch but I promise you: I’ll get it right next time. Please don’t be angry with me…”

You foolish man, she thought as she reached up to put her arms around him. “I could never be angry with you,” she whispered as she hugged him. “Even if I was, I’d never stay angry with you. You’re my partner. We’re in this together. Isn’t that what you always say?”

Robin’s cheeks flushed and Regina knew the time for talking was over. Looking him straight in the eye, Regina grabbed hold of the lapels of his Team USA jacket and pulled him toward her, crashing her lips against his. Robin’s apology died in his throat as he kissed Regina back. He was so surprised he didn’t even reach for her until she pulled away and stared at him. There was a look of panic in her eyes, as if she was worried her kiss hadn’t been well received. Eager to prove her wrong, Robin moved toward her so quickly that she stumbled backwards as his arms wrapped around her and their lips met again. One of Robin’s hands slid into place at the small of her back while the other reached up to tangle with her loose hair. Regina melted against him, kissing him over and over until they were both breathless and weak limbed.

“Well then,” Robin stammered once he managed to find his voice again. “I suppose I should let you in.”

“Yes.” Regina nodded. “I suppose you should.”


	18. Aftermath

Robin’s hotel room looked just like hers, only tidier. The only sign of clutter was the skate bag Robin had dumped on the floor with its contents spilling out onto the carpet and the slightly rumpled duvet he’d been sprawled on before she arrived. The other half of the room was immaculate: the bed was made with military precision and aside from the large rolling suitcase, you’d never know Robin had a roommate. “It is rather Spartan, isn’t it?” Robin apologized when he noticed Regina’s critical eye surveying the space. “My roommate is a nice bloke, but he’s a bit of a neat freak.”

Regina stepped delicately over a pair of running shoes that had fallen out of the bag and perched on the edge of Robin’s bed. “I can see that. He gives me a run for my money.”

Robin cast around for something to say. He’d been wallowing rather intently before Regina knocked on his door. He hadn’t expected to see her until tomorrow. When he made mistakes, his first instinct was to isolate himself until he felt better. It wasn’t a very sensible coping mechanism, but since he so seldom made mistakes in competition, he hadn’t given it much thought until today. But now she was here, looking up at him expectantly. Say something! He scolded himself. She came here to see you, not the décor. “So… you decided not to stay for the men’s short program?” he asked, immediately regretting the lame question. Brilliant start there, mate. Way to sweep a lady off her feet.

Regina shrugged. “My partner needed me. That’s more important right now.”

Robin was touched. He moved to sit beside her on the bed and reached for her hand, gently lacing his fingers through hers in the space between them. “I’m afraid I’m in a bit of a strop this evening, milady. I’m not sure I’ll be very good company.”

The look she gave him was both withering and pitying. “Don’t give me that. You’re always there for me when I’m down. Now it’s my turn to be there for you.”

Robin had no clever comeback. Not this time. He simply looked at her – and the look of determination in her dark eyes – and he knew he couldn’t say no to her. Not now, not ever. He reached up and brushed a stray strand of hair back from her forehead and gave her another quick kiss. “Very well, then. If you’re willing to put up with me.”

Regina rolled her eyes and nudged him with her knee. “Don’t be such a baby. You’ve had to put up with worse from me.” She twisted herself around to face him. “Why don’t we go out for a bite to eat? You must be starving. I know I am. There’s a row of restaurants across the street…”

Robin hated to say no to her after she’d so graciously decided to spend the evening with him in his time of need, but he didn’t feel up to socializing tonight. As he shifted uncomfortably and contemplated how to politely say no, Regina seemed to sense his distress. Her fingers twined through his and she leaned in to rest her other hand against his tense shoulder. “You don’t want to go out, do you?” she asked gently.

Robin dropped his gaze and gave his head a little shake. “I’m afraid not.”

Regina sighed and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Me neither. But we still have to eat.” She let go of his hand and took his face in hers instead. “Why don’t I get us some takeout?”

Robin leaned forward until his forehead came to rest against hers. Her skin felt so warm and soft against his and when he breathed in he could still smell the remnants of this morning’s shampoo lingering in her hair. He was loath to be parted from her at a time like this, but he was exhausted and his stomach was empty. “That sounds wonderful,” he said at last. Her lovely face was so close to his he couldn’t resist giving her another light kiss before pulling away. He felt her lips quirk into a smile as he brushed against them and she returned the gesture with a playful nip of her teeth. 

“I’ll be back,” she promised, flashing him one of her most suggestive smiles. Robin groaned and leaned back against his pillows. This girl is going to be the death of me, he thought happily as Regina climbed off the bed and sashayed out of the room. She threw him one last flirtatious look over her shoulder and his heart flopped stupidly around in his chest. Why had been upset again? He didn’t even remember now. All the woes of the competition had washed away and the promise of a nice evening in with his beautiful partner provided a desirable distraction from his earlier failure.

There was only one potential disruption to that plan: Robin’s roommate. Regina met him twenty minutes later when she was returning with her takeout cartons. At first she wondered why the tall, well-dressed stranger was eyeing her in the elevator on the trip back to Robin’s room until she recognized him. It was Ichabod Crane, her roommate Abbie’s partner. Her initial discomfort faded away after Crane introduced himself and added that he and his partner would be going out for the night. Perfect, Regina thought. Robin and I will have the place all to ourselves. 

“You and Robin would be welcome to join us, Miss Mills,” Ichabod offered gallantly. “Abbie and I would be delighted.”

He’s adorably polite, Regina thought as she looked him over. Crane’s handsome face was welcoming, but something in his eyes told her that he was torn between wanting to make new friends and spending quality alone time with his partner. At least that’s something I can relate to, she thought shrewdly. “That sounds great, but I think Robin was counting on staying in tonight,” she said. “He took our extended lift deduction very personally,” she added as they stepped out of the elevator.

“Ah.” Crane nodded. “That rule always struck me as rather arbitrary. I’m eternally grateful that no such rule exists in the pairs discipline.” They arrived back at the room and Crane fumbled to find his key card. “Perhaps another evening, then?”

“Definitely,” Regina agreed. “Robin and I are both big fans of your work with Abbie.”

Ichabod smiled shyly. “Abbie and I are fans of your work with Robin as well.”

Robin had turned on the television in Regina’s brief absence and set up a large tray to place the food on. “Your table, milady. I also took the liberty of finding the men’s short program on TV in case you still wanted to watch it.” He looked pleased with himself despite his earlier ruminating, Regina noted. That’s the Robin I’ve come to know.  
Regina divvyed up the stirfry and vegetables onto paper plates and cozied up next to him. “Have I missed anything good?”  
Robin was eager to give her the lowdown. “Our young man from America had a bit of a rough outing, but the one lad from Canada had a decent showing. The Asian contingent are also putting up a good fight. And there’s still two groups to go.”

As the evening went on, Regina paid less attention to the television screen and more attention to Robin. After the food was cleared away, she leaned up against his side and rested her chin on the top of his shoulder. Robin took this as an invitation for more kissing and soon she was sitting in his lap and facing away from the TV set entirely. Who cares about skating when your partner has her hands in your hair and her lips pressed against yours? Robin marvelled. Especially when she has a figure like this. He grinned up at her as his hands came to rest at her sides, tracing the familiar curves of her body. He’d touched her countless times in all their months of skating together, but this felt different. The closed dance holds and lifts often had them pressed up against each other on the ice. But there was something so sensual and intimate about being touched by someone who was already familiar with your body and Regina revelled in it. She didn’t even mind when one of Robin’s hands found its way down to the small of her back. Just a few inches more, she thought wickedly as she strained toward his willing hands. I know you want to. It wasn’t until the commentator’s excited voice broke into her muddled thoughts that Regina reluctantly dragged her mouth away from Robin’s and took a deep breath of air. “What did he just say?” she asked in bewilderment. “I thought I heard 110. But there’s no way. Is it even mathematically possible to score that high?”  
Robin was just as baffled as she was. He gently pushed her off of him and crawled closer to the screen. “No, you heard right.” He sat back and shook his head in disbelief. “That’s got to be a world record.”  
They both took a moment to catch their breath and let the numbers sink in. As ice dancers, Regina and Robin spent so much of their time and energy focused on the scores of their closest rivals that they almost forgot what was going on in the other disciplines. The men’s event was particularly mysterious, as neither of them were close friends with any male solo skaters. But every so often, a competitor would smash through expectations and deliver a show-stopping performance like this. Regina felt a twinge of embarrassment. She’d been so focused on kissing the life out of her partner that she’d missed the whole thing! World records didn’t get broken very often. This would be a performance people would talk about for years to come.

The sheer ridiculousness of the situation set in and they both started laughing. I’m never going to live this down, Regina thought as her shoulders quacked from supressed mirth. All of my friends are back at the arena watching this live and I missed seeing a world record get broken because I was too busy making out. “I can’t believe we missed it,” she murmured once she could talk again. She also couldn’t believe how quickly things had progressed. So much for taking it slow.

Robin was eyeing her as if she were a rabbit caught in a trap and he was deciding the best way to set her free. “Perhaps we should… call it a night?” he said apologetically. “I didn’t mean for things to get so…”  
Regina waved him off. “It’s fine, Robin. You haven’t done anything wrong.” To prove her point, she slid back over beside him and kissed him on the cheek. “I think we both just got caught up in the moment.”  
He smiled, but there was a melancholy dullness in his eyes as he did. “We don’t have to rush into anything,” he started to say, but Regina silenced him with another kiss. “It’s getting late,” he murmured after she pulled away. He hated to send her away, but he didn’t want to push her to stay either. She only came over because she felt sorry for you, his inner voice taunted him. And here you are taking advantage of her good nature…

But Regina didn’t see it that way at all. She was plumping up the pillow she’d been leaning against as if she planned to rest her head on it. “I think you want me to stay but you’re too shy to ask,” she said shrewdly. “I don’t mind.”

“You really want to?”

Regina scoffed. “Let’s put it another way. Do you think Crane’s coming back tonight?”

Robin shook his head. “I doubt it. I reckon he’ll spend the night with Abbie.”

“Right.” Regina nodded. “Abbie’s my roommate. Which means…”

“…Which means you need another place to spend the night anyway,” Robin concluded as the truth dawned on him. “Oh. And here I thought…”

“You thought I was just hanging around because I felt sorry for you?” She shook her head and kissed him again. “I’m here because I like you, you moron. And I wouldn’t mind a bit of company after the competition we just had.” She stretched her neck and shoulders before leaning back against the pillow with a satisfied sigh.

She looks tired, Robin thought. Though she was putting on a brave face for his sake, he knew she was upset about the deduction too. Her eyes were not sparkling as much as they usually did and her smile had only managed to make a few brief appearances. Robin lay down next to her and pulled the blanket up to cover them both. Hopefully she’ll find something to smile about in the morning, he thought as he drifted toward sleep. And if she doesn’t, I’ll just have to kiss her again. Then we’ll both have something to smile about.

****

The first time they slept in the same bed, it was an accident. But this time it was intentional. Which was perhaps why Regina had a hard time falling asleep. It had been so easy before. At Nationals they’d both been exhausted after the competition and at the time it had felt completely natural to rest her head on his chest for a minute and to wake up hours later as if no time had gone by at all. But inviting herself over to stay… that was much more intentional. Which was why she couldn’t sleep. Should she lie on her back? Should she face him or should she roll over on her side? What about spooning? Is that how this works? Regina’s lack of dating experience made her fret furiously as she tried to calm her racing heart enough to drift off to sleep. Robin was already dozing, bless him. At least he didn’t have to worry about the logistics of such matters.

The more practical part of her brain eventually won out. There was a dull ache in her right hip from leaning against it for too long, so she rolled over on her left side instead. There, she thought. That’s much more comfortable. She didn’t expect Robin to roll with her, but he did: sensing the loss of her by his side, he moved in close again and draped an arm around her waist with a satisfied sigh. Oh, she thought. I guess that’s how you do it. She let her own hand trail down under the covers to find his so she could twine their fingers together. This is actually quite comfy, she thought happily as she leaned back against his chest. I could get used to this.

Sleep came by degrees. When Regina’s eyes fell shut, the image that came to slumber-starved mind was Azura Carling’s smug visage taunting her from beyond the judges’ box. Good lord. No wonder they call her the Blue Nightmare, she thought to herself as she pushed the beginnings of the dream away. Not tonight, Blue. You’re not invited to this party.  
When Regina finally did dream, it was Robin she dreamed of. And much to her satisfaction (and her embarrassment when she woke up the next morning to find him still beside her) in her dreams, Regina did a lot more than just kiss him. In her dreams she was much more confident. She didn’t have time or space to wonder if she was doing something wrong. She simply did it. At first it was something as innocent as a hand on his chest – nothing too risqué. But from there it became more: more hands (not just hers, but also his, reaching and exploring, going places they hadn’t yet gone while they were awake), more closeness (his body pressed tightly up against hers, which still didn’t feel close enough), more kissing (not just him kissing her lips, also her neck and her shoulders and her collarbones) more everything. By the time her dream-self started tugging at his clothes (why were either of them still wearing clothes at this point?) her heartrate was on the rise again. Only this time, it wasn’t her dream-self’s heart: it was her own traitorous heart, dragging her out of sleep and into a pit of embarrassment when she realised it was only a dream. It was morning and they were still spooned together under the covers. Regina risked a glance down at her prone body… yup, still clothed. She’d only imagined those hands of his sneaking their way up the back of her t-shirt and pulling it up and over her head. A pity too. The sports bra she’d fallen asleep in displayed things quite nicely. He surely would have appreciated it.

Embarrassment gave way to disappointment but even that evaporated after a minute or so of contemplation. Things were finally progressing! They’d get there in real life soon enough. No need to push things too far too quickly. Regina sighed contentedly and rolled over to face him again. He looks so cute when he’s sleeping, she thought as her eyes took in Robin’s serene countenance and the little smile on his lips. Cute and smug, she amended as she trailed a tentative fingertip across his cheek. And he’s all mine. 

Robin felt her feather light touch on his face and his grin only deepened. “Hmm. Good morning, milady,” he murmured in a self-satisfied tone. He caught her wandering hand and pressed a kiss to it, letting his lips linger against her warm skin before releasing her. Only then did he open his eyes to gaze up at her with such unfettered admiration she couldn’t help but smile stupidly back. She wanted to lean in and kiss him again but her stale morning breath held her back. Robin seemed to sense her reluctance but also her desire – he kissed her neck instead and let his head linger in the space between her neck and shoulder, breathing in her sweet scent. “You smell lovely,” he whispered as he nuzzled against her neck. 

Good thing I took a shower before I came over last night, she thought smugly as Robin continued to leave a line of kisses from the bottom to the top of her neck. “It’s just my usual body wash.” She breathed in sharply when his mouth found the hollow underneath her jaw. “Oh!” she gasped, her mouth dropping open. Too much, she thought. And he knew it. He was already pulling away, already preparing an apology. She shook her head and held up her hands to hold him off. “It’s fine,” she said before he had a chance to speak. “I’m fine. I just wasn’t expecting that.” She swallowed hesitantly before continuing. “But I liked it,” she added, though she couldn’t quite meet his gaze. She risked opening up her peripheral vision and she saw his tense shoulders relax. He was forgiven. 

Robin pushed himself up into a sitting position instead. “Perhaps it’s time to get up,” he said, somewhat mournfully. The last thing he wanted to do was throw his beautiful partner out of bed, but time was ticking by and Crane would likely show up to grab his belongings before the pairs free program at any minute. “I’m glad we have the day off,” he added as he watched Regina stretch her stiff limbs and pull herself up. “We can enjoy watching the other disciplines compete without having to worry now.”

Regina eyed him shrewdly. “And you actually want to go back to the arena and watch? We can’t exactly make out there, you know. They tend to frown on that.”

“We’ll have plenty of time for that when we get home,” Robin pointed out. “Today all I desire is the pleasure of your company.”

Regina giggled and shook her head. “Sometimes you talk like you’re from another century. It would be weird if you weren’t so cute.”

Robin pursed his lips and pretended to look put out. “And here I thought you liked my weirdness.”

Regina stood up and stretched again before answering. “That’s not all I like,” she purred flirtatiously as she made her way around the bed and started toward the bathroom. It’s a good thing my room is only one hallway over, she thought as she eyed her wrinkled clothes in the mirror. Hopefully no one else will be up this early to witness my walk of shame. Luck was on her side today: Crane came and went while she was still freshening up and upon her arrival back at her own hotel room, Abbie had already cleared out. Her bed was neatly made with the same military precision as Crane’s had been, Regina noted. How fortunate for Abbie to find a fully domesticated partner, she thought as she hunted through her suitcase for fresh clothes. She and I have that in common.

The rest of the day went by the book: hot shower, leisurely breakfast, another trip on the shuttle bus over to the arena to watch the end of the competition. Mills and Crane posted a season’s best score in their Samson and Delilah long program and Snow and David had a good outing as well. In the ladies division, Tink finished a respectable fifth. Her fancy footwork wasn’t enough to stave off the Japanese fan favourite with the big jumps, but Tink was still proud of her accomplishments. “I’m the highest scoring Australian woman to ever compete here,” she told the media after the competition ended. “I’m proud to be representing my country on the world stage.” The competition wrapped up the following day with the conclusion of the men’s event and the exhibition gala. 

“It’s sad to think that was our last chance to perform “Take Me To Church”,” Regina lamented after the performance was done. There was an off-chance they’d be chosen to skate in the Gala at the World Championships next month, but usually only the top four were chosen for that honour. 

“I’ll certainly miss skating to that music with you,” Robin remarked with a sly smile. “I’ve grown quite fond of it.”

Regina scoffed at the notion. “Please. The only thing you’ve grown fond of is having your hand on my thigh in the lift.”

Robin bowed his head reverently. “Well, you do have very toned legs. And if I didn’t hold onto you, you’d topple over.”

He said the words in jest, but he immediately regretted his flippant tone when he saw her shiver. You idiot! He screamed at himself. How could you make a joke like that to a girl who’s partner dropped her? “Oh Regina, I didn’t mean…”

She held up her hands again, just as she had yesterday morning. “It’s fine, Robin. I’m not that fragile. I shouldn’t have teased you about it anyway. I know the mechanics of the lift. There’s no way I’d let you put your hand there if I didn’t trust you.” As if to prove her point, she took his hand and placed it on her waist. His fingers stiffened at the sudden contact, but she held his hand there. “I trust you,” she repeated. “And I don’t trust many people.”

Robin sighed and wrapped his other arm around her. “I’m sorry, my darling,” he murmured in her ear. “That was a terrible thing to say, I don’t know what came over me…”

Regina let go of his hand and placed both her palms on his upper arms instead. “You’re one of the strongest male ice dancers out there. I’ve never felt more secure in lifts than I do with you.” When Robin still didn’t look convinced Regina shook her head and pulled him into a tight hug. “Come on, handsome. We’ve got a plane to catch.” She hoped her reassurances would be enough, but Robin remained downtrodden. He followed a full step behind her through the airport, as if he didn’t trust himself to walk beside her. He barely even cracked a smile when they got up to the counter and discovered they’d been bumped up to business class for the flight home. “I’m not letting you ruminate,” Regina reminded him once they were ensconced in their roomy seats in the first class cabin. “I didn’t let you brood after the free dance and I’m not letting you brood now. Not on a flight as long as this.”

Robin sighed morosely. “I just can’t help feeling that I let you down,” he muttered, keeping his eyes trained on the row of chairs in front of them as he spoke. “Oh look. LeFay and Ambrose got bumped up to first class as well. Did you ever track down their exhibition music?”

Regina followed his gaze to the row in front of them and spotted the Canadian pair taking their seats. She had not, in fact, been able to identify their exhibition music but she recognized a deflection when she saw one. “Don’t change the subject. You have nothing to apologize for.” She pushed herself into his line of sight, forcing him to look at her. “Don’t make yourself a martyr, Robin. It’s not helpful to either of us.”

She was right, of course. Fretting over what was already said and done wouldn’t help them move forward. They had one last competition this season and it was the most important one of all: the World Championships. They could not afford to lose sight of their objectives now. “Thank you,” he murmured, keeping his voice low so the Canadians wouldn’t overhear. “You’re so wise. A man would have to search far and wide to find a partner as wonderful as you.” He shook his head as if he still couldn’t believe she’d chosen him.

Regina felt her cheeks start to glow with pride. “Well, that’s a relief. I may be a good skating partner, but I’m not sure how good I am at being someone’s girlfriend.” The words were out of her mouth before she even had a chance to process what she was saying. “I mean, if that’s what I am now. If that’s what you want.” Good God, stop babbling! She scolded herself. Could you be more clueless?

But Robin was grinning again – a genuine smile this time, not the nervous smirk he’d displayed only a few minutes ago. “It’s just another kind of partnership though, isn’t it?” he pointed out. “Whether off the ice or on it, there’s always going to be agreements and compromises. But… I’m willing to try to do both if you are.” He eyed her hopefully and she did not let him down.

“I’m more than willing,” she said softly. “Only… I haven’t dated anyone since my senior year of high school. I have no idea what it’s like to be in an actual adult relationship.”

This much they at least had in common. “I know the feeling. I haven’t dated much either,” Robin admitted. “But at least we already know we can live under the same roof without killing each other. That’s more than a lot of young couples can boast.”

Regina laughed and linked her fingers through his on the armrest. “It’s certainly a good start.” The plane around them was filling up rapidly now and they were scheduled to take off any minute. “Hold that thought. I’m going to sneak up a row and ask those two about the music before the seatbelt sign comes on.”

Robin gave her hand a squeeze and released her. “Better make it quick. There’s a flight attendant heading our way.”

Merlin had his headphones in when Regina snuck up the aisle to talk to them but Nimue was quick to jump into the conversation. “The song is called “Sweet Curse” and the artist is ReVamp,” she said to Regina when she asked. She looked slightly exasperated by the question and Regina could guess why.

“People have been asking you that all season, haven’t they,” Regina surmised. 

Nimue’s expression softened and she nodded. “It’s been a long season,” she said apologetically. 

“It certainly has,” Regina agreed before the flight attendant shooed her back to her own seat. Robin was waiting for her and she didn’t mind one bit when he put his arm around her shoulders and invited her to lean against him. It felt completely natural now – not like when she’d fallen asleep on his shoulder on long flights before. It was hard to imagine that less than a year ago, he hadn’t even been a part of her life. Now she couldn’t imagine her world without him in it.

Mills and Locksley threw themselves back into their training routine once they got home to Michigan. Even with the extended lift deduction in the free dance at Four Continents, they had still finished fourth – two places better than their goal of finishing sixth. Suddenly everything seemed possible. Their goal for Worlds had originally been top ten, but now finishing between sixth and eighth was within reach. But as much as Regina’s instinct was to train longer and harder, their coaches were quick to warn the skaters of the perils of over-training. 

“You’ll be under a lot more pressure next year if you do well this year,” Ursula pointed out three weeks before Worlds. “Enjoy the lower expectations while you can.”

Ursula was always working overtime not to let Regina’s competitive streak get the better of her. It had cost her more than a few times when she was younger and less experienced. As a novice-level skater, Regina had been so eager to prove herself on the rink that she didn’t always remember to be kind to herself or others out of the rink. Ursula had exercised that self-destructiveness out of her young charge but occasionally it crept back in during times of extreme stress. Today was one of those days. Despite Ursula’s platitudes, Regina was getting fed up with her coach. Ursula kept leaving her place at the boards to exchange terse words with John and by the end of the session Regina had had enough.

“Something’s up with those two,” Regina hissed at Robin as they changed out of their skates on the benches outside the arena. 

“I’m sure it’s just stress,” Robin said soothingly. “They’re under pressure too. They have that whole big ice show with the skating club to plan for after the season is over.”

But Regina wasn’t in the mood to be placated today. “No,” she insisted. “There’s something more going on.” She shot him a searching look. “You trust my intuition, don’t you?”

Robin smiled. “I’ve certainly learned to.”

“Then come with me. They’re down the hall in the office. If we sneak down there, maybe we can overhear…”

“Overhear what?” Robin wondered but he had no choice but to follow her. She was already on the move. What did she expect to hear? Surely plans for the ice show couldn’t be that important. But what he heard when they pressed themselves up against the wall outside the skating club office sent a chill down his spine.

“We should tell them before Worlds,” John was saying in a low, insistent voice. “Even if Regina doesn’t take it well, Robin will be able to calm her down.”

“She won’t like it,” Ursula insisted. “I know Regina. Dropping a bomb like this on her before a competition will throw her off completely.”

“And who’s to say she won’t find out from someone else?” John cut in. “I already saw a post on Figure Skating Universe about this rumour. It won’t be long before the news gets out. Wouldn’t you rather Regina heard it from us than from some stranger?”

What the hell are they talking about? Regina turned to look askance at Robin but he seemed just as clueless as she did. She tried to inch closer to the open office door but her running shoes squeaked against the linoleum and she jumped back guiltily. Damn it. We’re busted, she thought morosely as Ursula stuck her head out the door to see where the noise had come from. Regina froze on the spot under her coach’s imperious glare and Robin stepped close behind her for support. 

“Oh, that’s just wonderful,” John cheered sarcastically as he came out to join the group. “Alright, Ursula. Do you want to tell them or should I?”

“Tell us what?” Regina demanded. “This isn’t about the end of season ice show, is it.” She fixed her steely gaze on the coaches and for once they had the decency to look afraid of her.

But what Ursula said came as a complete surprise. “You’re right. You both have a right to know.” She cleared her throat to reclaim her authority. “How would you two feel about having another team come to train at our club next season?”


	19. The World Championships: Part 1

Out of all the things their coaches could spring on them, this was something that neither Robin nor Regina had considered. To share their ice time and their coaches with another pair of ice dancers? It seemed unthinkable. Ursula and John were their coaches. But that wasn’t the case for all skaters. Most coaches had multiple students and sometimes rival skaters ended up training at the same rink. Even Ursula and John worked with some of the junior kids at the skating club. But Mills and Locksley were their only senior team and Robin had no intention of sharing.

“Are you sure that would be wise?” Robin said, in what he hoped was a non-confrontational tone. “I mean, it would be difficult for a new team to come into an established situation and feel like outsiders.” He said the words to be considerate, but he was more worried about Regina’s reaction that his own. She was simmering quietly beside him, but he knew her too well. One carelessly spoken word and she would explode. 

John was quick to defuse the situation. “They’d only be sharing the rink with us. They’re bringing a coach of their own into the equation, so you don’t have to worry about sharing us as well.”

Robin let out a sigh of relief. That made things more bearable at least. But who was this other team? Where were they from? Were they American? Were they from somewhere else? He didn’t like the idea of training with a team like Swan and Jones, for example. Not when they were neck and neck as they were. Training with Ana and Will back in the day had been an exercise in patience for everyone involved. Robin wasn’t sure if he wanted to go through that again.

“Where is this mysterious team from?” Regina inquired. She was exerting a tremendous amount of effort to keep her tone civil but Robin knew she was angry. He could see it in the rigid angle of her spine and the flare of her proud shoulders. When she felt threatened, Regina either caved in on herself or she tried to make herself look more powerful. She planted her feet and crossed her arms and though she was standing in front of him, Robin knew the coaches were getting the full force of Regina’s death glare.

Ursula stepped in with an overture of reassurance. “They’re from Europe,” she said, “so they’re not a team you’ll need to compete against at the National level.”

“Just the international level,” Regina muttered. But the answer seemed to satisfy her. Her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly and John and Ursula’s faces relaxed as well. “As long as they stay out of my way, I guess I can live with that. I’d rather share ice time with an international team than give it away to someone who could sneak in and threaten our place in the American hierarchy.”

She’s taking it better than I thought she would, Robin thought as Ursula and John continued to talk, slowing piecing the story together: this mysterious European team were having trouble with their current coach. They wanted to find a new training environment and a junior man from their current coaching team was willing to move with them and take up the job as their full-time head coach. Everything was hush hush for the time being because nothing had been finalized yet, which was why they weren’t ready to name names. It all sounded reasonable enough to Robin. He could live with sharing a bit of space at the rink as long as he got to keep his beloved coaches to himself. Regina seemed inclined to agree. In fact, she seemed very easygoing about the entire affair after the initial shock had worn off. This was unexpected. Maybe she was waiting until they were alone to vent her frustrations.

But the venting never came. Robin hung back, waiting until they were back home for the night to broach the subject with her. She seemed oddly unsurprised by everything. Even when she spoke of it to Tink before dinner, she had the air of a newscaster reporting the day’s top story in a businesslike, professional tone. Did Regina know something he didn’t know? 

When he finally worked up the nerve to question her about it, she was breezy. “Ursula and John can play cagey all they want, but I’ll bet my medals they were talking about Troyes and DuLac.”

Robin goggled at her. Guinevere and Lancelot? How could she possibly know that? Was it because their coach was such a prat? He must have looked very puzzled because Regina laughed and took his face in her hands. 

“You’re so cute when you’re clueless,” she teased before giving him a quick kiss. “I didn’t want to tell you anything because someone told me this information in confidence, but they’ve been having problems with their coach for ages. I’m not surprised they’re making a change. I’m just surprised they’re coming all the way to America to do it.”

Robin simply stared at her. How had Regina managed to come by such personal information? Had she heard it from Guinevere herself, or was there a third party involved? “You’re terribly clever,” he remarked, full of admiration and awe. “I enjoy it when you’re being devious.”

Regina cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. “Admit it: you enjoy me all the time.”

“Oh, I do.” Robin grinned wickedly before swooping in for another kiss. 

“Oi!” Tink protested from the other side of the room. “No snogging in the kitchen. We agreed on that.”

Regina pulled away guiltily. “Sorry Tink,” she murmured, feigning abashment. But when Tink’s back was turned, Regina shot Robin a look so flirtatious he knew she wasn’t remotely sorry. “We’ll pick that up later,” she promised.

That was the case these days. With the World Championships right around the corner, Regina and Robin hadn’t had much time to do anything but train. They didn’t have time to be Regina and Robin, boyfriend and girlfriend. They had to be Mills and Locksley, up-and-coming ice dancers, all the time. Any time they weren’t training was spent recovering from training. But after Worlds, the off-season loomed large with possibilities. April, May and June would be free and clear. Plenty of time to take things to the next level.

“What do you usually do for the off-season?” Robin asked her later when they were cozied up on the sofa together.   
Regina was half-asleep when the question came and she lifted her head from his shoulder reluctantly. “I don’t even know anymore,” she admitted. “Back when I was skating with Jefferson, we would always spend a few weeks up at his family’s cottage in June. But now that I’m not…” a lost expression slid into her eyes and she trailed off.   
Robin despaired at seeing her so uncertain. He’d been batting an idea around in his head for a few weeks and now seemed like the right time to bring it up. “I was thinking of going back to England for a week or two this summer,” he told her. “Perhaps… you would consider accompanying me?”

That got her attention. She sat up straight and looked him right in the eye – the fact that her eyes were tired from overwork did nothing to dull their intensity. “You want to go on vacation with me?” She sounded as if she couldn’t quite believe it. “You’re not sick of having me around all the time?” She added the last part teasingly but there was still an air of uncertainty in her voice.

Oh sweetheart, Robin thought to himself. There’s no one I’d rather spend time with. “I’d love to on holiday with you,” he said softly. “We could meet up with Ana and Will and go ‘round to all the touristy places. Maybe even get tickets for a West End show. And of course I’d love to finally introduce you to my parents.”

As Robin spoke, he watched Regina’s smile grow wider and wider. How many times had he thought about that elusive but satisfying smile when he tried to fall asleep at night? And now here it was in all its glory. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. She was… oh, damn it. She was talking again and he was too busy staring at her to understand her words.

“Don’t give me those puppy dog eyes.” Regina rose from the sofa and stretched her tired limbs. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than go to England with you. I’ve never been there but I’ve always wanted to go.”

“Then you shall go.” Robin stood up. “Or rather, we shall go. Together.”

“Just as we always do,” she added, before pushing herself up on the tips of her toes to give him another kiss. Her mouth lingered suggestively against his but she went no further. “I’m going to bed. We still have three more weeks of hard training ahead of us before Worlds.”

And train they did. Ever cognizant of the perils of over-training, Mills and Locksley made sure to take breaks and not push their bodies to the breaking point. Regina’s favourite stress reliever was to take walks in the little wooded area behind the stadium and soon Robin found himself accompanying her on her little nature treks. “It’s not much of a forest, but it’s something,” she said breezily on a warmer than usual day. Sometimes Robin brought his sketchbook along and amused them both by drawing little pictures of the things they found on the path when the snow started to melt. He preferred to draw people, but he could never get Regina to stay still long enough to make a proper portrait of her. So he had to amuse himself by drawing whatever else crossed his path. And in the forest, whatever else cross his path inevitably ended up being leaves of all shapes and sizes.

“Very impressive,” Regina said with a completely straight face when he showed her his latest works. “You’re a regular nature boy.”

Robin shrugged her off. He’d grown far too accustomed to her gentle teasing to be offended. “I’ve always felt at home in the forest. My parents’ house in England backs onto greenspace. There’s something so peaceful and calm about it.”

A chunk of melting ice chose that very moment to fall from the tree behind them and smash against the asphalt path, making them both jump. “Oh sure,” Regina scoffed after she recovered from the scare. “It’s very peaceful here. And quiet.” She looked him right in the eye before letting out a hearty laugh. “Come on, forest boy. We’re late for barre class.”

And so it went. Training in the morning, followed up by gym time or dance studio time or downtime in the afternoon. The life of an elite athlete left room for little else during the peak season. But all that effort and sacrifice would not be in vain. When Mills and Locksley boarded the airplane Boston in the last week of March to attend their first World Championships together they felt ready to take on the world. Their minor setback at Four Continents had only motivated them to do better. Everything single aspect of their routines had been practised and polished. The lifts were secure and perfectly timed. Their twizzles had gotten easier as well – they were still not as fast as some of the other teams, but their unison was vastly improved after a season’s worth of work. Even the step sequences had grown faster and more confident. Every weapon in their arsenal was primed and ready for deployment.

But while Mills and Locksley had been working tirelessly to bring their A-game to Worlds, so had the rest of their competition. In total, 30 ice dance teams from all over the world would be coming to this prestigious event. Of those 30, only 20 would advance to the free dance portion of the competition. “It’s like the Hunger Games of figure skating,” Regina remarked as they arrived at the official hotel for the event. The lobby was packed to bursting with impatient skaters awaiting their room assignments, while their coaches prowled around with stone cold expressions on their weary faces.  
Robin didn’t miss a beat. “Does that mean the Olympics are the Quarter Quell?”

“Something like that.”

After that, there wasn’t much time for socializing. Regina put on her usual mask of pre-competition attitude – perfect posture, signature smirk, dangerous eyes – and Robin went into his pregame introspective mode. Despite being ranked third in the US, as a new team Mills and Locksley were much further down the totem pole in the world standings. Ursula and John had prepared them for the possibility that their low ranking would mean having to skate early in the short dance and their fears turned out to be true: at the draw to determine the order of skating, Mills and Locksley drew a number that would have them skating first in the third warmup group out of six. Not ideal, but not a death sentence either. Many of the lower ranked teams had season’s bests that were far below what Mills and Locksley were capable of scoring. Sometimes going early and posting a high mark put pressure on the rest of the field. That was the strategy Mills and Locksley adopted for the short dance. If they scored as high as they were capable of, they’d get to skate later in the free dance. And if they did well after the two segments of the competition were over, they’d earn a higher ranking for next season. 

Robin wasn’t fond of the mathematics and minutiae of the sport. Regina was the statistician of the team, forever analysing scores and breaking down the details of their score cards. She’d grown fond of repeating a sequence of numbers that Robin did not know the significance of until he asked her. “49.03, 49.90, 50.22 and 51.01,” she repeated as if it wasn’t complete gibberish. “Oh, come on!” she protested when she saw the look of confusion on his face. “Those are the free dance program component scores from every international competition we’ve done this season!” she exclaimed. 

Suddenly her meaning became clear and he wanted to smack himself on the forehead for not getting it sooner. “Our PCS has gone up with every competition we’ve done,” he realised, and then he felt very silly for not cluing in right away. He’d read the score sheets after every competition just as Regina had, but the exact numbers didn’t always stick in his brain. He preferred to focus on the combined totals and not just the artistic half of their scores.

Regina nodded approvingly. “Exactly! We haven’t just been improving technically. We’ve been improving on all the more subjective things as well: skating skills, interpretation, timing, performance, transitions… the judges like what they’ve seen. Even with our mistake at Four Continents, we still earned our highest PCS mark to date.”

Remembering Azura Carling, Robin had a sudden surge of anger. “Good thing the technical controller doesn’t determine the PCS marks, or that Blue woman would have left us high and dry.”

“Let’s just be grateful she’s not on the technical panel at this competition,” Regina said soothingly. 

There was a light snowfall the night before the short dance that cast a chill over the proceedings. The moods in the men’s and women’s locker rooms were equally frosty and tense. After growing used to skating with a certain group of competitors, Robin and Regina found themselves surrounded by strangers before the competition. The other teams in their group were from all over the world: Kazakhstan, Spain, Russia and Italy. Regina could speak passable Spanish and was able to make polite conversation with the Spanish ice dancer, but the communication barrier between the international teams made it difficult to make friends. Robin only had a semester’s worth of conversational French in his arsenal, so he was happy to be by his partner’s side once more as they made their customary promenade to the ice surface arm in arm.

“I’ll always regret not learning another language properly,” Robin lamented as they waited in the holding area before the warmup. “I do so envy you for your impeccable pronunciation.”

Regina couldn’t resist showing off, so she said gracias instead of thank-you. “My dad taught me,” she added shyly. “I don’t get a lot of chances to use it nowadays though.”

Robin bowed his head gravely. “A great tragedy, milady. Spanish always sounds so pleasing to the ear.”

Regina grinned. “Thanks for not calling me senorita. You’d be surprised how many people think they can get away with that.”

Robin grimaced. He’d never had to deal with people questioning his ethnicity, being of English and Irish descent, but every so often some well-meaning but clueless person would wonder at Regina’s warm skintone and dark hair and ask where she was from. Regina always bristled at the insinuation. She was born in America. Why did it matter? Most people backed off, but anyone who persisted in that line of questioning earned themselves one of Regina’s signature death glares. “I’m a person. I’m not whatever exotic stereotype you’ve invented in your head,” she would say. That usually shut people up.

“Just wait until the International Skating Union decides to assign one of the Latin dances for a pattern dance,” Regina said with a vicious curl of her upper lip. “We’ll see who comes out on top then.”

The announcer signaled the start of the warmup and Robin gave Regina a gentle push toward the gate. “Here we go, Uptown Girl,” he whispered as they prepared to step onto the ice. “Let’s give them a performance to remember.” When the opening harmonica notes of “Piano Man” echoed through the hushed arena, Robin felt a pang of loss. This is the last time we’ll ever skate this program, he thought to himself as they made their opening moves. Let’s make it count. 

It’s 9 o’clock on a Saturday,  
The regular crowd shuffles in…

Robin breathed in deeply and centered his core muscles through the opening set of twizzles. He had no way of telling how in sync they were when they were both locked into the travelling spinning movement but they exited the element in perfect unison right on the cue of the music. Regina looked very pleased with herself as Robin caught her in his arms and led her into the pattern dance. The pattern always started in a pre-determined corner of the rink: already the spot was well-worn by the three previous groups of skaters. The Ravensburger Waltz was one of the more difficult patterns to skate due it its sweeping free leg motions. If a skater wasn’t passably flexible and didn’t have good extension, the leg movements would look shallow and the dance unrefined. Unison was of the utmost importance. This was where teams with too much height difference ran into trouble. A shorter legged dancer skating next to a longer legged dancer could look messy unless both skaters extended their non-skating leg at roughly the same angle and speed. 

This was not a problem for Mills and Locksley. Their five-inch height difference and smooth skating made the pattern dance look much easier than it actually was. The pattern also featured a number of changes in dance hold – changes that could look sloppy if the couple didn’t transition from one hold to the next without losing the rhythm of the dance. Robin kept Regina as close to him as possible through the changes without getting their feet tangled up. If there was one thing the judges abhorred, it was dancers who didn’t skate close enough. The turns were old hat for them now: after a season’s worth of practice, they sailed through the footwork and out of the pattern like seasoned professionals.

With the two hardest parts of the program out of the way, Mills and Locksley powered through the linking steps before the music changed to “Uptown Girl”. The music change also meant a tempo change – from the 3/4 waltz tempo of “Piano Man” to a more energetic 4/4 time signature. The partial step sequence was done in the style of a foxtrot, flowing smoothly from one end of the rink to the other. They had been working on their speed for this element all season and the audience could tell: they clapped along to the brisk beat of the music as Mills and Locksley executed their steps. Regina’s smile grew wider and wider as a result of the praise and her movements became freer and livelier as well. Robin caught her infectious energy and used it to power through the final element: a rotational lift that drew a roar of approval from the adoring crowd. 

Regina could barely contain her excitement after he set her down. They locked eyes for the briefest second before the program ended and Robin knew they’d nailed it. He’d never seen her look this exhilarated. They ended the program with gusto and the audience clapped heartily. A few people even stood up to make their approval more prominent.

“That felt amazing!” Regina crowed after they finished their bows and skated off to meet their coaches by the boards. “I’m really going to miss this program.”

Once they were safely off the ice with their skateguards in place, Robin drew Regina into a tight hug. “No matter what we skate to next year, you’ll always be my Uptown Girl.” 

Still on an adrenaline high from a well-skated program, Regina grinned and kissed him on the cheek, not caring who saw. “And you’ll always be my Downtown Man.”

Robin returned her smile with a heavily dimpled one of his own. “That’s what I am,” he sang.

Regina rolled her eyes and gave his arm a tug. “Come on, Downtown Man. Let’s get our scores.”

For the casual viewer, figure skating is a magical event that occurs every four years at the Olympics. The general public doesn’t pay much attention unless there’s a judging scandal, a steroid bust, or a scuffle between competitors. But an event like the World Championships can bring greater viewership to a sport that often gets overlooked in non-Olympic years. While a certain percentage of the audience at Worlds in Boston were die-hard skating fans, there were many casual fans in attendance as well. They reveled in having a world-class competition right in their own backyard. They did not know all the rules or how the scoring system worked, but the audience can always recognize a great performance when they see it. A truly great performance can transcend the sphere of the arena and make a new home in the hearts and memories of its viewers. On this day in late March, there were many great performances that the spectators continued to talk about after the last skater of the day took their final bow.

They spoke of the American skaters first, because no fan can claim to be completely unbiased when it comes to rooting for the home team. They were in awe of Mills and Crane, the powerhouse pairs team. They were let down to see Ashley Boyd, the ladies’ singles skater, in tenth place after the short. The men’s event did not go well for the American boys either, so the audience started to throw their support behind the international men’s competitors instead. On paper, the ice dance event was the most successful of all for the American fans. Marvella and Gardner ended up in second place after the short dance, only a point behind the Canadian leaders. Meanwhile Swan and Jones and Mills and Locksley ended up side-by-side in fifth and sixth place respectively. 

It was a sweeping victory for Mills and Locksley, who did indeed manage to capitalize on skating early and putting up a big mark, but a disappointment for Swan and Jones who were aiming to finish higher. Troyes and DuLac took the third place slot while Tremaine and Scarlet slid into fourth. The top ten was rounded out by LeFay and Ambrose in seventh, back-to-back Russian teams in eight and ninth, while French and Hopper took tenth place. Overall the marks were skewing higher than they had all season, with each team in the top ten scoring over 65 points. By the end of the day, almost everyone had a new season’s best score to add to their record. If a skater’s goal was to peak at Worlds, the skaters did their hardest to make it happen.

But the battle was only half over. The free dance was still to come, and with only 20 teams left in the field after the dust settled, the skaters who qualified for the free dance were out for blood. Tomorrow’s competition would decide who moved up in the world standings and who would automatically earn a place on the Grand Prix circuit next season. Everything was on the line and no one was safe.

“We can do this,” Regina said to Robin as they sat together on the shuttle bus back to the hotel. “All we need to do is hold on to our current place in the standings and we’ll be guaranteed two Grand Prixes next season.”

They didn’t dare hope for better than sixth. The odds of a new team making it that far in their first season were already lofty. But they both went to bed with smiles on their faces that night. Tomorrow would bring new challenges and they would face them together.


	20. The World Championships: Part 2

Regina’s hands were shaking.

They were shaking so badly she could barely lace up her skates. When asked afterward if it was the cold of the girl’s locker room or a good old-fashioned case of nerves, Regina would grit her teeth and admit to feeling a bit of both. “I’m sure the other ladies in my warmup group can attest to the change room conditions,” she would say with a wry smile. “We were all shivering for one reason or another. Everyone shivers before the biggest competition of the year, whether they want to admit it or not.”

Regina was not the only unsteady competitor on that fateful day. When she passed by Emma in the hall, Regina started to say hello but stopped cold when Emma raised her haunted eyes to meet hers. She looked like a ghost in her feathery white dress and she was pale beneath her stage makeup. The other competitors plastered metaphorical masks on their faces to hide their fear: Nimue LeFay’s steely gaze actually scared away a photographer who leaned forward from his place in the stands to snap a few pictures of the warmup group. Anastasia Tremaine was smiling politely but her eyes were colder than ice. Alice Marvella’s delicate ballerina hands were clenched into fists. Guinevere Troyes looked ready to burst into tears. Even Ruby Lucas, a perpetual ray of sunshine, appeared to be under a storm cloud of doubt. The free dance would not be kind to any of the ice dancers today. 

Regina’s hands were still shaking when Robin found her. He looked only a fraction more calm than she felt when he took her hands in his and bowed his head so his forehead met hers. “The other boys are restless,” he murmured as they stood frozen together, absorbing each other’s energy. “You should have seen them pacing like caged tigers in the dressing room. How do the ladies look?”

“They’re scared,” Regina responded. As if on cue, a shiver made her entire body tremble. “The marks were so close after the short dance. Anything could happen.” 

The marks of the teams who already skated were skewing high, which meant that the judges were feeling generous today. Their generosity only made the skaters more nervous. On a day where everyone was skating well, a mistake would be even more costly for a team’s reputation. “I’m going backstage,” Regina said in an undertone to Robin after the warmup ended. “The audience is too loud. I need to block them out.” The audience was mostly American, but they cheered for their own and for everyone else. Hearing them cheer every time a new set of marks went up was driving Regina to distraction. Even outside in the hallway, the excitement filtered through. Ursula arrived on the scene with noise-cancelling headphones and bottles of water. 

“No distractions for my skaters,” she said. “Block ‘em out, put some music on and stay ready. I’ll call you when it’s time.”

Never had the wait to take their turn felt so long. Regina and Robin synched their music players to play back their free dance music at the same time so they could run through the movements of the dance on the floor. Every time someone came into the hallway where they practiced, Regina looked up expectantly to see if they were being summoned to the ice. At one point, a curious young man neither of them had ever seen before stopped to watch them. After the second runthrough, he started to say something but the headphones blocked him out. Regina made a move to take hers off, but the stranger shook his head and scribbled a few lines in a notebook instead and let her read it:

Don’t mind me, I’m a friend of John’s. You both look great! Good luck! 

The stranger flashed them a thumbs up and left them to it. That was weird, Regina thought as she started her music again. Who the hell was that guy? She looked to Robin for an explanation, since he was closer to John than she was, but Robin was just as confused as she was. They brushed the incident aside and gave the program one more pass through before they were called to the ice.

The audience was still cheering for the team who had gone before them when Mills and Locksley took to the ice. They only had a few minutes to get used to how the ice felt while the judges calculated their marks. The ice had been cleaned before their warmup group, but the last three teams to skate had left ruts and patterns everywhere. But the ice itself felt sound when the skaters tested it beneath their blades. Regina’s hands weren’t shaking anymore but as the minutes ticked by, her heartrate started to tick up again. It’s just pre-competition nerves, she told herself. You’re fine. Robin’s fine. You’ve been working toward this all season. You’re ready.

The announcer’s harsh voice cut into her preparations and she forced herself to look at Robin and not the numbers flashing on the jumbotron above their heads. The boisterous audience was loud enough to drown out the scores. Better not to know, or I’ll spend the entire program doing math in my head instead of performing, Regina thought. Robin didn’t take his eyes off of her, lest he also be tempted to raise his eyes to the screen to see the numbers. “Did someone else just get their marks?” he joked nervously. “I didn’t notice.”

Regina pushed away the last of her nerves and smiled her dangerous game-face smile. “Let’s make the audience and the judges forget anyone else just skated.”

Robin returned her smile with a toothy grin of his own. “I thought you’d never ask.”

The American fans waved their flags and cheered again as Mills and Locksley skated one final pass around the left side of the rink to get into their starting position as the announcer said their names. “Romeo and Juliet’s last dance,” Robin said as he came to a stop and took his position. 

Regina felt a twinge of regret, remembering how she’d fought the coaches over this dance. After an entire season of practicing and perfecting the routine, she was going to miss it. “Let’s make the most of it,” she said, leaning in close to his ear so she could be heard over the crowd. “Let’s make Romeo and Juliet immortal.”

Robin chuckled. “I think Shakespeare already did that.”

He may have dual citizenship but sometimes he’s so adorably British, she thought to herself as she struck her opening pose. Silence fell in the arena as the soft opening notes of the music filtered in. They breathed in together on the music and started to move. After a season’s worth of training, the opening moves and steps were ingrained in muscle memory. Regina’s arms lifted with balletic ease as she pushed forward on the inside edge of her skate blade and Robin followed behind. He circled around her and pulled her into the opening spin – a move that Ursula had choreographed to mimic the iconic balcony scene from the play. 

From there the rest of the elements proceeded just as they’d practiced a hundred times before. The circular step sequence, with its sweeping steps and precise movements that highlighted the melody of the music, was not only one of their most difficult elements to execute but also one of the most impressive to watch. After only one season of skating together, Mills and Locksley’s unison had improved with every competition and now they were so in sync it looked like they’d been skating together for years. The first lift, which had Regina balancing on Robin’s leg, earned a round of enthusiastic applause from the audience as Robin’s skate blades traced a curve into the ice while Regina posed gracefully above him. The connecting steps that lead to the twizzles always made Regina nervous – she still considered the twizzles their weakest element – but their unison was there today. Next season we can start to work on our speed more, she thought as she finished the third twizzle of the set. Mills and Locksley’s twizzles were synchronized but they weren’t as fast as the other top teams. This was one of the places where their newness of their partnership still showed. And it’s the first thing Ursula and John will want to tackle after vacation, Regina thought as they approached the second lift.

The straight line lift was a precarious prospect: Robin had to glide on one foot while holding Regina in a layback position (a standard pose where the skater arched backward with their face to the sky and their spine curved into a C-shape.) Regina’s flexibility enabled her to maintain the elegant hold for the required six seconds and not a second more. Neither of them wanted to get hit with an extended lift deduction ever again. After Robin set her down, the dance progressed into the second step sequence. Unlike the circular step sequence earlier in the program, the second sequence traced a diagonal pattern across the ice from one corner to the opposite one. The music built up as the step sequence progressed, forcing the skaters to maintain their speed and flow. After a season’s worth of hard work, the step sequence unfolded perfectly.  
Almost there, almost there, Regina chanted to herself as she caught Robin’s eye before he took her up into the rotational lift. This was the lift that caused problems at Four Continents, but today Robin’s timing was perfect. With the hard stuff out of the way, the rest of the program was filler steps and a final choreographic lift. This was where Regina always got lost in her character and the crescendo of the classical music. She reached for Robin with frantic grasping hands and for a moment she was Juliet, fighting desperately to save her true love. But Regina was not Juliet: Regina always saved her Romeo at the end of the program. While Shakespeare’s Juliet met a tragic end, Regina’s Juliet would always triumph. No matter where they placed today, Regina felt as if she had already won.

Robin felt it too. He stayed frozen in his end pose with Regina in his arms, staring uncomprehending up at the cheering audience. Their efforts had earned them a partial standing ovation and a sea of American flags and banners waved back at him. Robin blinked and dropped his gaze back to his partner. She was grinning up at him, but it wasn’t one of her game-face smiles: it was one of those genuine, blissful, beautiful smiles that only appeared when his partner was truly incandescently filled with joy. 

“We did it!” she exclaimed, somehow managing to make her voice heard over the roar of the crowd as she threw her arms around him in celebration. She was shaking again, but this time it wasn’t nerves: Regina was riding on a wave of adrenaline and it was contagious. Robin swept her up in his arms, pulling her up so high that her skates dangled a few inches above the ice as he glided back toward the boards. “Oh good lord,” she gasped as the audience let out another appreciative whoop. “Now everyone will know that we’re together.”

Robin set her down gracefully as they got to the gate. “Should I have kept it a secret?” he teased as he retrieved his skate guards from John.

Regina flashed him another smile – a flirtatious one this time. Out of all her smiles, this one was becoming his favourite. “I have no intention of being anyone’s dirty little secret.”

Robin matched her smile with a suggestive smirk of his own. “No man in his right mind would ever keep you a secret, milady.”

Regina used his shoulder to steady herself while she put on her purple skate guards. Even something as simple as that – an innocent touch, borne out of necessity with no romantic overtones – made Robin’s heart turn over in his chest. “That’s a relief,” she murmured, keeping her voice low so the microphones couldn’t hear. “I imagine it would be quite difficult to date a madman.” She nudged him toward the Kiss n Cry. “Stop staring at me and get a move on. Unless you want the fans to gossip about our relationship status all summer.”

Too late for that, Robin thought as he sat down heavily in the booth. He didn’t mean to plop himself down as one would throw themselves on a sofa after a hard day’s work, but the adrenaline crash was starting. Already his legs felt like lead from overexertion and he was certain he’d sleep like a baby tonight. He’d left it all out on the ice and he couldn’t be happier. 

Regina pressed in close to him on the bench and Robin let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Whatever happens, we’ll finish no lower than sixth,” she reminded him. Neither of them had any inkling that one of the five teams left to skate would falter. Their marks came up: a score of 99 and change. “We’ll be in the hundred club next season for sure,” Regina said as their coaches rallied them out of the Kiss n Cry and into the lounge. The lounge was a new invention: a cozy room with padded couches where the current top three teams could chill out and decompress for a few minutes after they finished skating. Regina had often scoffed at it, as the lowest ranked team in the lounge would eventually be unceremoniously pushed out to make room for whoever finished ahead of them, but today she strutted into the lounge as if she was its rightful queen and took her place on the couch that had recently been vacated by the lower-ranked Italian team. Robin took a moment to nod a greeting to the other teams in the lounge before he joined her.

“How’s it looking out there?” Belle French asked. “Anyone crack 100 yet?”

“We almost did,” Robin said with a modest smile. “And how about you two?” His gaze flickered between Belle and her partner Archie. “I’d say you’re on track to be the first team from Australia to finish in the top ten.”

Belle managed a tired smile in return. “Our goal was top 12,” she admitted. “We’re feeling pretty spectacular right about now.” Both partners looked exhausted but content.

That makes sense, Robin thought to himself. A placement of 12 or better guaranteed French and Hopper two spots on the Grand Prix next season. And for a team from a country not known for skating, a top ten finish was a huge achievement. Winning a medal in skating was an admirable goal, but for some of the lower-ranked teams, just making it to Worlds was an achievement. He was inclined to like French and Hopper, as Archie Hopper was a country-hopping skater much like himself and because they’d chosen Adele, one of his favourite singers, for their free dance music.

While Robin chatted with Belle and Archie, Regina turned her attention to LeFay and Ambrose, the other team in the lounge. They also looked tired but satisfied with their results. They’d barely made the top ten a year ago, so the seventh-place finish they were likely headed toward was a considerable improvement. “I never got the chance to tell you how much I liked your costume,” Regina said, in reference to Nimue’s burgundy and gold number. “That colour looks great on you.”

Fierce-eyed Nimue’s face was more serene now that the competition was over. Regina was beginning to suspect that Nimue was like herself: scary game face on before competing, but friendly afterward. “Thank you,” she said, the epitome of Canadian politeness. “It’s actually based on one of Morgana’s costumes on the show.”  
Regina had not watched the television program that LeFay and Ambrose’s music came from, but she appreciated the attention to detail. “Maybe I need to start watching this show for the fashion,” she considered. “Or at least for the soundtrack.”

“It’s an excellent soundtrack,” Merlin chimed in. “I’m surprised more people haven’t skated to it yet.”

“Who knows? Maybe now that you guys have paved the way, more will follow,” Regina pointed out. 

Merlin looked intrigued by the idea. “I’ve always wanted to be a trendsetter,” he said thoughtfully.

“We’re lucky our coaches gave us more freedom with our music choices this year,” Nimue added. “They gave us a traditional short dance but they let us pick our FD and exhibition music.”

“We’re hoping for more freedom next season,” Regina admitted. “There’s only so many ways you can tell the Romeo and Juliet story.”

“For what it’s worth,” Merlin spoke up, “I thought yours was one of the better versions.”

The skaters in the lounge sunk into a companionate silence after that. They were expecting another team to come along and kick someone out of the lounge any minute now that the final group of five had finished their warmup. So many good teams still to skate: Swan and Jones, Lucas and Booth, Tremaine and Scarlet, Troyes and DuLac and of course Marvella and Gardiner. It seemed inevitable that an American team would win Worlds in America, even though Lucas and Booth had won last year and their scores had been inching closer to Marvella and Gardiner’s all season. Regina was fully prepared for that eventuality. She was even prepared to see Swan and Jones take the bronze medal due to home field advantage. But they were first to skate in the final group and it proved to be their undoing. There was a popular misconception in skating fandom that the judges liked to hold back and not award the first skaters in the final group big scores. Regina considered it a fandom conspiracy theory, but Robin wondered if there was a kernel of truth to it. For whatever reason, Swan and Jones did not get the results they hoped for today.

There was no screen in the lounge, so the skaters judged the rest of the competition by the volume of the applause. The applause after Swan and Jones skated was loud, which meant they’d be coming down the hall to kick the lowest-ranked team out of the lounge at any minute. Belle and Archie looked resigned and hastened to say their goodbyes. Regina rushed to exchange contact info with Belle upon learning that the Aussie girl had a very popular Instagram dedicated to her book collection. But after the minutes ticked by and the audience started to make noise again, Regina’s intuition was piqued. Tremaine and Scarlet must be skating now if the audience just clapped again, she deduced. Emma and Killian probably got waylaid by the press.

But Swan and Jones did not appear. Another five minutes went by and when the door to the lounge finally did open, it was Anastasia Tremaine and Will Scarlet who entered instead. 

“What happened to Emma and Killian?” Regina whispered to Anastasia after Belle and Archie left the lounge. “I thought they skated before you.”

Ana’s face was masked with a mix of emotions: there was elation there for her own performance, but there was also a cloud of conflict in her bright eyes. “I’m not even sure,” the blonde Brit admitted in a worried undertone that made her accent sound less posh. “I watched them on the monitor before we skated and I thought they looked fine. A bit tired maybe, but we’re all tired at this point in the season. But when the scores came up…” she trailed off and shrugged helplessly. “The judges must have found fault with something. They only scored a 97.”

“97?” Regina repeated, not fully understanding. But Robin and I scored 99, she thought frantically. If Swan and Jones only scored 97…

She looked away from Anastasia and caught Robin’s eye across the room to where he was having a similar conversation with Will. If Swan and Jones finished below them, Mills and Locksley would be bumped up a place. She was already doing the mental math. It was just like at Four Continents, only this time their positions were reversed. All around her the room buzzed: Ana was insisting on taking a picture of Will, Robin and Merlin – something about how the world needed to see all the cute English boys in one shot. Regina and Nimue respectfully stepped out of the picture and Nimue took the chance to speak to Regina again.

“I usually like Swan and Jones but I liked your free dance better this season,” the Canadian girl admitted. “Maybe they peaked too early in the season.”

“Maybe,” Regina echoed. Ana was corralling the girls for a picture now, so Regina and Nimue plastered on their best smiles. Regina’s cheekbones ached as she tried to arrange her face into something that looked natural even if it didn’t feel right. The possibility of finishing in the top five in her first year with her new partner was more than she could have dreamed of, but to do it on the backs of another talented team that happened to have an off-day… as much as she was proud of herself and Robin for putting on their best performance to date, her heart ached for Emma and Killian.

Not everyone can win, she reminded herself as Merlin and Nimue departed and Swan and Jones, dejected and downcast, finally made their appearance in the lounge. They finished sixth last year too, Regina recalled. At least they’re consistent in that regard. It would be worse for their career trajectory if they’d dropped a spot or two. Emma and Killian’s tenure in the lounge did not last long: Marvella and Gardiner showed up a few minutes later to boot them out. 

“The way they do this is silly,” Anastasia declared once the three teams were situated on the cushy couches once more. “Chucking one team out when the next one beats them. They should have one big lounge for everyone.”

“It certainly does nothing to foster good sportsmanship,” Alice agreed. “But it is good to see you again, Ana. And you, Will.”

“It’s been far too long,” Will said cordially. “How have you been, Alice?”

Alice smiled prettily, cheeks still rosy from competing. “Very well, thank you. And yourself?”

Will returned Alice’s smile with a Cheshire cat grin of his own. “I’m grand.”

While the others were talking, Regina caught Jefferson’s eye across the room. He was reticent while the others were talkative – par for the course for Jefferson. He’d always been the more introspective type. She sighed contentedly and leaned against Robin’s shoulder. We’re next in line to be thrown out of the lounge, she mused. Might as well enjoy it while we can. “How are you feeling?” she asked Robin in an undertone.  
“Still overwhelmed?”

Robin chuckled softly and draped an arm over her shoulders. “It’s surreal being here,” he murmured. “Last time I was at Worlds they didn’t even have this Top-3 lounge configuration.”

“Anastasia’s right, it is a bit silly,” Regina agreed. “But at least we’re together. Even if there’s an obnoxious camera right over there.” She glared at the nearby camera for a split second before forcing her face back to neutrality. All I need is for my stinkeye to end up on national television and they’ll be calling me the Ice Queen again, she thought belatedly. “At least now we can relax and enjoy the rest of the competition,” she pointed out, not just to Robin but to the room at large. “The ladies event is going to kick ass.”

“I’m looking forward to the pairs myself,” Alice spoke up. “Costa and Perrault are wonderful and I like Mills and Crane too.”

“Mills and Crane are amazing,” Regina agreed. She spoke in a confident, measured voice and she was certain she saw Jefferson flinch at the sound. Good, she thought. Let him flinch. I’m not going anywhere. “And of course I’m partial to Blanchard and Nolan as well,” she added. Couldn’t leave Snow and David out of the mix.

The discussion in the room fell to the contenders in the other events. Alice, Regina and Anastasia were engaged in a heated debate over who would win the ladies’ event: Elsa Arendelle, Kira Yukimura or one of the Russian girls, while Robin and Will calculated the odds of the men’s event. Jefferson remained silent and resigned in the corner, nodding along with what everyone was saying but not offering any opinions of his own. Regina almost felt sorry for him. Jefferson had never been the socializing type. It couldn’t be easy for him to be in a room full of chatty opinionated people. We all have our crosses to bear, she reminded herself. He may not be the most talkative person in the room, but he’s one of the best ice dancers in the world. That counts for something.

“Bonjour!” a voice sounded from the hallway, causing all the skaters to look up in unison as Lancelot and Guinevere entered the lounge. I guess that’s our cue to leave, Regina thought. Robin offered her a hand up and she took it gratefully. Suddenly she was very tired. They made a graceful exit from the lounge, retreating the post-competition calm of the dressing rooms. Robin found a dejected Killian Jones in the men’s room and Regina found Emma in a similar state in the ladies’ room: Emma’s eyes were red and glazed over and her jaw was set and severe, as if she wanted to cry but wasn’t sure how. Nimue and Belle were still there, seated on either side of Emma, offering their condolences. It was amazing how they all went back to being friends once the competition was over.

I guess my destiny this season is to comfort distraught blondes after every competition, Regina thought as she made a move to join the group. Something crunched under her skateguard and she looked down to see a rhinestone encrusted feather clinging to the purple plastic. “What the hell…” she muttered, picking it off and realizing too late that it was a piece of Emma’s costume.

Emma snapped back to attention. “Really?” she groaned when she saw the fallen feather in Regina’s hand. “Now I’m molting. That’s just great. The perfect end to a shitty day.”

At least it didn’t fall off while she was skating, Regina thought. The judges hardly ever get an excuse to use the costume malfunction deduction. “Here,” she said soothingly, holding the feather out to Emma. “Even phoenixes need to shed their feathers and burn before they can be reborn.”

“Too bad I wasn’t skating to Firebird instead of Swan Lake,” Emma mumbled as she wrapped the feather up in a piece of tissue and tucked it into her bag. 

“Well, there’s always next season,” Belle pointed out.

Emma cracked a wry smile that lived on her lips only and did not reach her glassy eyes. “I’m not sure I could handle another season with a classical free dance,” she admitted dejectedly.

Regina sat down on a bench across from Emma and the other girls. “Are you still hoping for Nightwish next season?” she asked as she unlaced her skates.

Emma’s smile turned genuine again for the briefest moment. “We’ve got our coaches half convinced, so that’s a start.” She stretched her arms and rose from the bench. “I’m going to change out of this feathered monstrosity and hit the road.” 

The spell was broken: the girls went back to being competitors again, splitting into separate corners of the room to change out of their costumes and pack their belongings away. The post-competition adrenaline crash set in and time seemed to slow. It took Regina an unreasonably long time to change out of her costume and back into sweatpants and a t-shirt. Even lacing up her running shoes felt like a chore. When she looked up again, the changing room was empty. 

Regina wandered out into the hallway, fumbling for her cellphone as she went. Robin must wonder where I’ve been, she thought vaguely. I should text him. Then maybe we can go to dinner… or stay in again. Staying in would be nice. She started to tap out as message as she shuffled down the hall, oblivious to her surroundings. She fired the message off – a flirtatious, emoji-laden plea – and looked up, suddenly returning to herself and her senses. Someone was talking nearby… no, not talking. Arguing. A deep male voice, overcome with agitation, sounded from around the corner from where she stood. A voice with an English accent. 

Regina froze and backed up against the wall. The voice stopped and another, female this time, took over. “I’ve already made up my mind,” the woman said. “There is nothing you can do.”

“The hell there isn’t!” the first voice cut in. “I made you. You’re nothing without me.”

Regina sucked in a breath and risked a quick look around the corner. What she saw chilled her to the core: Arthur Monmouth, purposefully blocking the hallway to keep Guinevere Troyes from entering the dressing room. Guin and Regina locked eyes for a split second before Regina retreated. It was just long enough to get the message across. Guinevere needed help. And Regina was the only one who knew.  
But she couldn’t do it alone. Robin hadn’t responded to her first text, so she texted him again:

Regina: Help! Arthur threatening Guin. Call security!

She closed the text window and called up the camera app instead. This bastard is going down, she thought viciously as she rounded the corner and lined up the shot. Her timing couldn’t have been better: the camera flash went off just as Arthur reached out to grab Guinevere. Guinevere screamed and ducked out of range, pushing past Arthur and running toward Regina. It wasn’t difficult to piece together what she’d walked in on: Guinevere and Lancelot were changing coaches and Arthur wasn’t ready to let them go. Regina wrapped a protective arm around the other girl and stood firm as Arthur glowered at both of them. 

“This is none of your concern, Miss Mills,” Arthur growled. “Guinevere and I have unfinished business.”

Regina narrowed her eyes and used the last shreds of her bravado to give Arthur one of her signature sneers. “Is that so?” she drawled in a would-be careless voice. “Because this business looks very finished from my perspective.” Guinevere trembled next to her but Regina planted her feet and stood firm. “I think it’s time for you to go,” she continued. “I’ve already called security and taken a picture for evidence.”

Arthur scoffed, clearly unimpressed. “And what do you expect those rent-a-cops to do?”

“Who needs rent-a-cops when we can just kick your ass?” a new voice cut in and Regina looked up to see Lancelot running toward them with Robin hot on his heels. They took Arthur by surprise, pinning him against the wall until two winded security guards arrived on the scene and hauled him away. Arthur didn’t go quietly: he shouted all the while, a mixture of vague threats and nonsense. Guinevere, sensing that this tantrum could be useful later on, borrowed Regina’s phone and recorded the entire thing. Arthur’s tirade drew a curious crowd that lingered even after the distraught man had been removed from the premises. Among the confused skaters and hangers on, Regina spotted the strange young man who had stopped to watch them practice earlier in the day. How long ago had they skated? It felt like hours but it had only been about 45 minutes. Regina narrowed her eyes suspiciously as the man weaved his way through the crowd to station himself next to Lancelot and Guinevere. They clearly knew who he was, for they greeted him like an old friend. 

Robin materialized by Regina’s side. “Who is that man?” he whispered as the crowd finally started to disperse. 

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Regina responded.

Once everyone else was gone, Lancelot came over to where Regina and Robin waited. He looked dazed from everything that had just transpired but also… grateful? His expression was hard to read. “Thank you,” he said reverently, shaking both of their hands in turn. “Regina, if you hadn’t been here…”

“I am fine, Lancelot,” Guinevere insisted, but her vacant eyes suggested otherwise. 

Regina cast around for something to say and came up empty. Even Robin, who could usually fill her silence with well-chosen words, was at a loss. “The four of us will have to stick together if we’re going to be sharing ice time,” Regina said at last. 

Lancelot goggled at her. “How did you know it was us?”

Regina had no desire to betray Alice’s trust so she shrugged it off. “I have my ways. Let’s just say I heard through the grapevine that Arthur wasn’t entirely on the up-and-up.”

“He’s a wanker,” the other man spoke up. The four skaters all turned to gawk at him. “What?” the newcomer protested. “I’m allowed to say that.”

Finally fed up with all the mystery, Regina’s temper exploded. “Who the hell are you?” she demanded. “And who asked your opinion?”

Guinevere, swift to play peacekeeper, stepped between them. “Regina, Robin… this is Gwaine Mallory,” she said. “He’s our new coach.”

Regina was unimpressed. The man was young – even younger than Arthur. His floppy long haircut and hipster beard only emphasized his youth. “So you were spying on us before,” she deduced. “Next time try to be a bit more subtle.”

Gwaine raised his hands in surrender. “A thousand apologizes. I was only trying to get a better lay of the land. I meant what I wrote: you guys are great. And I promise you, we’re not here to steal your coaches or your fans. We just need a new place to train. Away from my uncle.”

“Your… uncle?” Robin puzzled until it hit him. “Arthur’s your uncle.”

“Unfortunately you can’t choose family,” Gwaine said with a grimace. “But you can choose your friends. I hope we can all learn to coexist.”

Everyone held their breath as Regina considered Gwaine Mallory’s plea. It was as if they all knew that their working relationship would live or die by Regina’s opinion. Regina Mills was nothing if not opinionated and her intuition had not failed her yet. She sized Gwaine up again, trying to discern if he should be treated as friend or foe. He had none of his uncle’s smarminess, though there was an air of over-confidence about him. And no wonder. He was about to become the primary coach of a world-class team. He’d have to be confident in his coaching abilities or both he and his team would get eaten alive next season. But beneath that confidence, she also saw a veneer of self-doubt lingering in the young man’s eyes. He wants to do right by his team, she concluded. And he’s willing to uproot his entire life and come to America to do it. I doubt we’ll be best friends, but he’s here for the right reasons. Trust him for now, but keep him at arm’s length just in case. 

“I’m sure we’ll learn to get along,” Regina said at last and the others breathed a collective sigh of relief. “As long as there’s no more spying. If we’re going to share training space, we need to keep open lines of communication.”

Robin backed her up. “This will only work if we all put our best cards on the table,” he said. “But I’m willing to make peace as long as everyone else is.”

Relief flooded the faces of Guinevere, Lancelot and their new coach. As if summoned by their pact, Ursula and John arrived on the scene and the tension lifted considerably. Plans were already being made: Guinevere and Lancelot were moving to America in May and Ursula was to help them find accommodations. Off-season training for next season would start a few weeks after, giving the skaters a brief respite for rest and relaxation. In all the excitement, Regina and Robin didn’t find out who won Worlds until hours later and they were shocked when they did.

“Lucas and Booth!” Regina repeated for about the hundredth time. “Canadians beating Americans in America. What is the world coming to?”

Robin chuckled and shook his head. They were holed up in Regina’s hotel room this time and her roommate was mercifully absent. “It’s karmic payback for 2013 Worlds,” he said sagely. “When the Americans beat the Canadians in Canada.”

Regina hummed thoughtfully. “This is by far the biggest act of aggression between Canada and the United States since the War of 1812.”

She wasn’t upset though. Lucas and Booth had defended their title and she felt a surge of pride for them. But she also felt a twinge of disappointment for Marvella and Gardiner, though it was more for Alice’s sake than Jefferson’s. Guinevere and Lancelot had managed to swing a third place finish – very impressive, given the circumstances. Tremaine and Scarlet had come in fourth while Mills and Locksley rounded out the top five.

“It’s funny,” she said as she leaned against Robin’s shoulder. “A year ago I was sitting at home, watching Worlds on my television, wishing I was there. I didn’t care who I was skating with or if we came in last place. I just wanted to be here so badly.”

Robin sighed contentedly and inched closer. “And now?”

Regina lifted her head and smiled at him. He’s still so cute when he’s nervous, she thought as her heart started to race again. “And now I’m back. But it feels different than I imagined.”

“Hmm,” he pondered. “Why do you suppose that is?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She tried to be coy, but the way he was grinning up at her made her lose her resolve. “I just never thought I’d have this.”

“This?”

“A partner,” she said. “Not just any old partner, but… the perfect partner. If there is such a thing.”

Robin smiled and leaned over to kiss her forehead. “Perfection is a lot to live up to, milady. I hope I’m up to the task.”

Regina grinned wickedly and swooped in for another fervent kiss. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I know you’re the right man for the job.”

“Hmm,” Robin murmured thoughtfully as the kiss ended. “I have every intention of being the right man for any job you’re willing to give me.”

I’ll hold you to that, Regina thought to herself as they kissed again.

Their first season together was over but their journey to the Olympics and beyond was just beginning. Every once in a while, in the strange and subjective world of ice dance, the right two skaters come together at the right time to form one of those magical partnerships that audiences will talk about for years to come. No one knows the exact formula for creating the perfect team. Coaches and skaters alike all have their own opinions. But if you were to ask Mills and Locksley themselves, they’d tell you that the magic is real. They would also tell you that there’s nothing wrong with falling in love with your partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for coming on this crazy skating journey with Mills and Locksley. This may be the last chapter of Fire and Ice, but this is not the end of Robin and Regina's story - not by a long shot. I am currently plotting and starting to write a sequel! There's still a lot more story to be had with these two, but it seemed natural to end this chapter of the story at the end of their skating season and pick it up again at the start of their second season together. I hope you enjoyed Fire and Ice and I hope you'll enjoy the sequel as well! I'm hoping to make the sequel a bit... sexier, if you get my meaning ;) I'm also open to any feedback you guys have, as well as suggestions for the future of this 'verse (characters you'd like to see more of, music ideas, anything!) Thank you again for reading my story. I honestly never thought I'd have this many people reading my work. You guys are awesome and I couldn't have written this story without you!


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